It Only Takes 5 Weeks to Fall in Love
by Finntastic17
Summary: It's been almost a year and half since Rachel has seen Finn...and she's hiding a secret from him and everyone else she knows: her son, Seth. Five weeks out of her summer and Rachel's back in Lima...is that enough time for Finn to get her back? FINCHEL!
1. Chapter 1: Here Comes Goodbye

**Hi, there! This is my first fan fiction posted here and it is about my favorite couple…Rachel and Finn! I hope you enjoy. This chapter is based off of the song 'Here Comes Goodbye'.**

Rachel had arrived at the airport in her a red and green plaid jacket that Finn had gotten her last Christmas (because, even though Rachel didn't celebrate Christmas, she still received gifts from Finn) and a black skirt. She wore a black boots and a beret with a bow on the side. Finn usually came up to New York for the holidays, but this year, Rachel decided to surprise him and come to Columbus for a visit. She was very much a relationship girl; if she couldn't date Finn via long-distance communication, then she wouldn't date him at all. And frankly, Rachel didn't want to be without Finn. Therefore, all though they talked and texted daily, this would be the first time in three months she would be seeing him.

After waiting for her luggage, Rachel made her way out of the airport and smiled. Of course, she had other news to share with Finn. She didn't know how Finn would react to the news of being a parent. She felt bad, as she had kept this secret for a little over two months, but she wanted to be sure and she wanted to show him in person. Maybe then he would consider moving to New York with her. There was no way she would ever leave…not after having such a successful run on a rendition of _Wicked_.

At first, Rachel had been upset that she was pregnant. After all, she was only twenty-one; her life still lay ahead her. But as she began to think about it a bit more, she realized it wouldn't be as bad as she had thought. This was Finn's child, and in her opinion, she had never felt closer to felt him. There was something about being apart from him that increased the love she felt for him.

Her bus stop was one of the first. She couldn't help but feel relieved; she always hated city buses. She much rather preferred the taxis in New York. But, alas, taxis were a very rare sight in Ohio.

Rachel eagerly left the bus and glanced around the apartment complex, scrutinizing it with a wary gaze. She did not approve of Finn living in such standards. He definitely needed to come to New York with her. No; he _**would **_come to New York with her. She sighed and made her way towards the complex. She new Finn was on the third floor, and usually she didn't mind climbing stairs, but her pregnancy seemed to have drained every last ounce of her energy. It would be hours before she finally motivated herself to climb the stairs, and then another few hours to finally make it up. And by the time she did, she would be complaining, saying she was hungry.

That was one of the things that annoyed Rachel about pregnancies: just how hungry you became because you were now eating for two. Large meals with small ones in between were definitely not how Rachel got her skinny form. Hell, she didn't even mind the morning sickness…but the fact that soon she'd be too fat to shop in the regular women's department bothered her. It always had, even when she was a little girl. Of course, then she didn't understand much of anything.

Finally motivating herself to climb the stairs she started up and groaned as she dragged her bags behind her. Why did she pack so much? So she was staying with Finn for a little over two months (uninvited, too); why hadn't occurred to her that she could just shop for more clothes?

When Rachel finally made it up the stairs, she was panting. She would remember next time to not pack nearly as much. She heard something ring behind her, and she quickly spun around. An elevator. It would have been helpful to know there was an elevator in this stupid apartment complex. She bit her bottom in annoyance and turned back around.

"Keep going, Rachel." Rachel coaxed herself quietly. "Look for room 314…314…" After running into room 309, Rachel knew she was close. She felt her smile growing bigger as she quickened her pace. She was only moments away from seeing Finn. Standing a few feet away from her were two boys; one was tall with long, lanky legs and sandy hair that fell over his green eyes while the other was unusually short with short but thick brown hair and brown eyes. They both turned around and stared Rachel up and down.

"Who are you?" The short boy asked. Rachel frowned. She wanted to tell them it didn't matter, but she knew she had nothing to be ashamed of by saying she was Finn Hudson's girlfriend coming down to visit for the holidays.

"Finn Hudson's girlfriend." Rachel announced proudly, glancing at the door number: 312. Two doors away from seeing Finn. Both boys exchanged a glance.

"Um…maybe you should come back later…" The taller boy said a bit uneasily.

"Is Finn not home?" Rachel asked, frowning. Finn had told her that almost all the people that lived in this complex went to college with him and that this was the nearest complex to school. Both of these boys looked too young to be in college.

"No…he's home…I just think he might be…busy…" The tall boy answered again, a bit uneasily. He scratched the back of his head nervously. Rachel snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Finn is never too busy to see his girlfriend." Rachel argued. "And if he is, he'll just have to stop whatever he's doing and give me all his attention." The boys exchanged a glance. Rachel's grin stretched wider as she made it to her destination: room 314. She dropped her purse and opened the door easily. It wasn't smart for Finn to have left his door unlocked, but for once, she was thankful he was so slow. She grabbed her bags and made her way into the apartment.

But as Rachel made her way deeper into the apartment, she almost swore she heard someone giggle. Not Finn…but someone else. A girl maybe…Rachel sped through the apartment until she made it what looked like Finn's living room. And there he was, lying down on the couch…making out with another girl. In all her shock, Rachel found no words to say. So instead, she picked up a picture of the two of them on one of Finn's end tables and threw it to the ground. He glanced up and his eyes widened.

"Rachel!" He gasped. Rachel crossed her arms, tears filling her eyes. "What are you doing here?" Finn asked. The girl sat up slightly, licking her lips and scrutinizing Rachel.

"I'm sorry I've inconvenienced you." Rachel hissed, spinning around her heels and pushing her bangs out of her face. "I should've called first." She made her way towards the door.

"Ah, crap, wait, Rachel!" Finn cried, stumbling as he followed behind Rachel.

"For what?" Rachel asked, spinning around. "So you can give me some lame excuse, say you weren't making out with someone else? Because you were, Finn! I saw you!" Rachel cried. He opened his mouth to say something, but the slut who had been kissing her boyfriend answered first.

"Damn straight, he was making out with me." She lightly touched him on the arm. "And it was nice. I bet we've had more chemistry then he could ever get making out with a midget like you." She sneered and then smirked. Rachel felt the sudden urge to punch the girl right in the nose, which was quite unusual for her, as Rachel hated violence. Perhaps it was her pregnancy hormones that were spinning her emotions wildly out of control.

"Shut up, Linda." Finn hissed, turning back to Rachel, his eyes pleading. "Please, Rachel, don't go. I can explain, I really can." Finn begged.

"There's nothing to explain." Rachel said through gritted teeth. "It's obvious now why you were so eager to abide by a long-distance relationship."

"No, Rachel, that's not it at all! C'mon, please—"

"I'm leaving now, Finn." Rachel said slowly, tears falling down her cheeks. "And I'm not coming back. Ever. We're done." She spun back on her heel and made her way out of the apartment. Maybe she was being too dramatic, but part of her knew that she had made the right decision. She didn't want only part of Finn's attention…she needed all of it.

"Bye, bitch." The girl's voice called behind her. And then Rachel was gone…and as she promised, she never returned to Columbus. She never contacted Finn, and she never told him about her pregnancy. She never told anybody.

-glee!-

It had been one year since Rachel Berry had seen Finn Hudson. She missed him, though she would never admit that to anyone. And now…now she was sitting on the floor of her small but very neat apartment…playing with Seth. Her one-year-old son. The father was no other then Finn himself, but the thing was, he didn't know. No one knew about Seth.

His hair was as dark as Rachel's, but that's where their similarities ended. Everything about Seth screamed Finn…the way he walked, talked, smiled, and laughed…it all resembled Seth's absent father. His hair was even mussed in the same boyish way Finn's was.

But Rachel knew she couldn't blame Finn; he didn't know about Seth. So she raised Seth as a single mother without any help from family or friends.

Rachel didn't know why, but she was ashamed with herself. She hadn't been able to keep Finn, she had lost him. Perhaps that was why she never told her dads that they were grandfathers. Or why she never told her friends she had been pregnant.

She could still remember everything clearly, all those mistakes that had taken place a little over a year ago. The part where she showed up at Finn's apartment, the part where she left, and the part where they never spoke again. Maybe if she had listened to those two boys who looked too young to be in college and turned around and come back later, she could still be wrapped in Finn's arms. They would be a family.

But the sane part of Rachel, the part that knew her life was a reality and not a fantasy, told her that walking into the room was the best decision. After all, Finn would've never been fully hers if she hadn't run into…_**them**_.

So caught up in memories that seemed to belong to another time, it took her a moment that the little boy tugging on her shirtsleeve was Seth, begging for attention. She shook her head and glanced down at him with a smile on her face.

"What is it, baby?" She whispered, smiling as his tiny hand clutched onto his little football. She had been flipping through the TV channels one day and for a split second, left the TV on one of those sport channels and Seth, who had been playing with his building blocks at the time, instantly glanced up at the TV. Ever since, he had been attached to football, all because Rachel had left the television on one of those NFL games. Of course, Seth had called it, 'the oval ball game' and although Rachel found it completely adorable and quite smart for someone his age to come up with a name like that, she eventually corrected him and 'the oval ball game' then turned into 'foo-ball'.

"More foo-ball." He begged. Rachel smiled; she should've seen that coming. But she was far too wrapped up in her thoughts to have been paying attention to Seth.

"It might not be on now." Rachel said gently. She hated football. She always had, and the fact that her son had inherited his father's love for it both annoyed and touched her. But Seth had inherited Rachel's stubbornness and shook his head, scrunching up his face.

"Foo-ball now." Seth demanded. Rachel sighed and leaned back, reaching for the remote, turning on the TV and making her way to the ESPN channel. Sadly, football was on. She sighed as Seth clapped his tiny hands together, his eyes instantly glued to the TV.

Rachel stood up and made her way to her bedroom, glancing out the window and taking in the view of New York again. She'd never get used to the vast view of nothing but buildings. It may not have been anything special, but this view resembled something to Rachel. It was here, in this city, that she not only made it to Broadway, but where she and Finn had shared some of their sweetest moments together. But now Rachel couldn't stop thinking of their last moment together. She wished it had been sweet, like the ones they shared in Lima and New York. But something about Columbus, even when she had first made it, gave her a wrong feeling. She now knew it was because Columbus was a symbol…a symbol for the end of the one good thing in her life: Finn.

**So what did you think? Like it? Love it? I'll try to have the next chapter up ASAP. The first half will be a flashback and the last half will be present time. **

**Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2: A Thousand Miles

**The long-awaited Chapter 2! Well, not really, since I posted the first chapter two days ago. Finn does come in later on, in this one part. This chapter was written to the song 'A Thousand Miles'. Oh, and I have had a few questions as to why Finn cheated on Rachel, and that it was really out of character for him, but, truth is, he's done it before. And besides, his explanation will come later, I promise! Just give this story a chance and enjoy the chapters while they last! One more thing: the start of this chapter is a flashback and then it goes back to present time. Enjoy!**

Rachel lived alone in a secluded world for nine months. She never visited anyone, lying and saying she had too many auditions to come down and visit. No matter how much her dads or Kurt or Quinn pestered her to come visit them in Lima again, Rachel wouldn't budge from her decision. If she couldn't raise her child with Finn, then she would raise it with no one. No one included every person that actually meant something to her.

The day she found out her baby was a boy had been a dull day; not much was going on for once. She had always wanted a little girl, but Rachel had always had a feeling that this one was a boy.

So Rachel wasn't surprised when the doctor told her that she was having a little boy. Rachel didn't mind that she would have a son instead of a daughter; of course, there was much cuter clothes for girls then there was for boys, but it didn't matter to her.

As her due date approached, Rachel gently began to stop calling her family and friends and distracted herself by turning the empty room in her apartment into a nursery. She painted it a pretty pale blue color and bought a nice wooden crib that matched the room perfectly. Along with the crib, she bought a car seat, a carrier, some bottles and baby formula, pacifiers, diapers, baby books and toys, and the cutest clothes she could afford.

Of course, her lonely life couldn't remain the way it was forever. On the last week of her pregnancy, she was sitting alone on her couch when there was a light tap on the door. She stiffened. To be honest, Rachel Berry did not know what to think. She never got visitors, especially now. In fact, to be honest, she didn't _**want **_visitors.

"Come on, Rachel, I know you're there!" It was Kurt. Of course Kurt would have the courage to fly all the way out from Lima to New York just to check up on Rachel. She grabbed the TV remote and instinctively put it on mute. Rachel wasn't going to answer the door, no matter how much Kurt begged. She made it look as though her apartment was empty. There was more knocking; it was continuous. Finally, Rachel, who was biting her lip to keep from crying, fled the living room and climbed onto her own bed, hiding under her covers and sobbing until she heard the retreating footsteps from outside her door.

A few days later, she received a call from Kurt. "I tried coming to visit you, since you haven't exactly been keeping in touch with us like you promised, but you didn't appear to be home."

"When?" Rachel asked as smoothly as she could.

"Two days ago." Kurt answered.

"I was home." Rachel said, then bit her lip. "Perhaps you got the wrong apartment number."

"Maybe…" Kurt said. They said their goodbyes and Rachel hung up. It was then; at exactly 5:34 that Rachel Berry got the first of her many contractions.

-glee!-

The pain was unbearable, by far the worst pain Rachel had ever felt in her whole life. But she didn't call for help. Rachel, refusing to tell anyone about the little boy she was about to have, drove herself to the nearest hospital and waited for one of the nurses to bring her into her room. She didn't scream at all, though she wanted to. She kept her pain concealed.

Thankfully, it wasn't much long after she arrived that she was brought into the maternity ward. The pain increased significantly and as it did, Rachel couldn't hold back her cries of pain anymore. Amongst the names she screamed, Finn's was one of them. She wanted so bad for him to be there, to comfort her and tell her it would be okay. She hoped he would hear her, even though he was thousands of miles away. Rachel knew he wouldn't.

"Who's Finn, sweetie?" One of the nurses, Marissa was her name, asked. Rachel, who had been gripping tightly onto her bed railing, eased her grip and stared at the ceiling.

"No one." She replied in a murmur. Marissa didn't ask her again. When the time finally came, she remembered the other nurse, Ashley, asking if anyone was coming. Rachel shook her head. Ashley was a bit more persistent then Marissa was.

"Surely you have someone coming." Ashley seemed shocked. "Mom? Dad? Friends? The baby daddy?"

"No one." Rachel insisted, and then it began. Although it felt like hours, it was only a matter of minutes, and there he was: Seth Christopher Berry. She always admired the name Seth, and since Finn wasn't around, she made it so her son took her last name. She held him for only a few moments and then he was taken away to be measured and weighed.

Seth weighed eight pounds and six ounces. He was twenty-two and a half inches long and completely healthy. The doctor even said he was one of the most well behaved newborns he had ever looked after. Rachel smiled at this.

When they finally let her look at him in the nursery, Rachel was able to study Seth's features. He had thick dark hair (for a newborn, at least) that was the color of Rachel's hair, but everything else reminded her so much of Finn. It almost seemed as though she was being punished, forced to remember Finn, but at the same time, she was glad he looked so much like him. It made it impossible for her to forget Finn.

Rachel never got visitors, but she always knew she wouldn't. No one knew where she was or why she was there. Of course, Marissa and Ashley, who felt bad for Rachel, cheered her up by checking up on her.

"How did you come up with his name?" Marissa asked, hoping to brighten Rachel's spirit. Rachel grinned.

"I've always been fond of the name Seth." Rachel replied. "And Christopher was the name of his father's dad." Rachel replied; if Finn was around, she knew he'd be thankful that Rachel had remembered.

"Where is the dad?" Ashley asked. Marissa elbowed her in the ribs but watched Rachel curiously as she had been wondering the same thing. Rachel glanced at the ceiling and sighed.

"He's not here." And that was the end of the conversation.

-glee!-

**rachelberry225 has signed on**

It had been forever since Rachel had instant messaged anyone. With Seth distracted by the football game, she found it to be the perfect opportunity to chat with some of her friends. Kurt, Mercedes, Brittany, and Artie were all online. They instantly took notice as Rachel updated her status to, 'at a Broadway dead end. Need to distract myself'. She knew this would gain all their attention in an instant.

**khummel654 has joined the chat**

**how can u possibly be at a 'Broadway dead end'? u have the voice of an angel, even if u r a bit self-absorbed.**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**I'm a bit picky about the roles I play and none satisfy me. **

It wasn't an entire lie. Rachel was very picky about the roles she played, but the truth was, she hadn't been to an audition since Seth had been born. It was the only way, however, to keep them from becoming suspicious.

**khummel654 has replied**

**that u r, my friend, that u r.**

**divajones3 has joined the chat**

**girl, what you need is some time away from the big apple. Come down here for the summer!**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**back down to Lima? I don't know…**

There was no way Rachel could leave New York without bringing Seth, and there was no way in hell she would bring Seth down to Lima. Of course, she could have possibly been imagining the worst-case scenario, but something told her that her dads and friends wouldn't take her having a son for the past year very lightly.

**divajones3 has replied**

**no, down to Florida. Yes, of course I'm talking about Lima!**

**brittanyspeers21 has joined the chat**

**Florida has ducks and ducks are scary.**

**khummel654 has replied**

**what the hell, Brittany?**

**rachelberry225 has replied **

**I'm kinda busy…**

**thatwheelchairkid6 has joined the chat**

**with what? And hey, what do you think of my new username? It's beast!**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**For your information, Artie, I have many other things to do besides audition for plays that I have no interest in. I am offended that you would think I just sit around my apartment doing absolutely nothing.**

**divajones3 has updated her status**

_**Rachel's coming down to Lima for the summer.**_

**khummel654 has liked divajones3 status**

**brittanyspeers21 has liked divajones3 status**

**rachelberry225 has disliked divajones3 status**

**I never said I was coming down.**

It was very typical of them to all gang up on Rachel until she felt guilty. She hated when they did that.

**thatwheelchairkid6 has replied**

**You haven't been to Lima in forever.**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**Funny how forever transfers into a year in my book.**

**khummel654 has replied**

**a year and a half, to be exact.**

**quinnie2 has signed on**

**quinnie2 has joined the chat**

**quinnie2 has liked divajones3 status**

**Ur coming down to Lima, Rachel?**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**NO!**

**divajones3 has replied**

**if you aren't coming down, then we're going up.**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**NO!**

**divajones3 has replied**

**that's the way it works, girl.**

Rachel wanted to throw her laptop against the wall. She groaned and sighed before returning to the chat. She didn't know what overcame her, but she typed what had popped into her head.

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**I was just messing with you all.**

**quinnie2 has replied**

**wtf? What's that supposed to mean?**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**I'm coming to visit you guys in Lima.**

**khummel654 has replied**

**OMG, when?**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**Three days.**

**thatwheelchairkid6 has replied**

**finally!**

**brittanyspeers21 has replied**

**just watch out for the ducks.**

**divajones3 has replied**

**how come your still talking about the ducks, brit, and we're talking about Rachel's visit?**

**brittanyspeers21 has signed off**

**divajones3 has replied**

**and she leaves.**

**thatwheelchairkid6 has replied**

**how long are you staying, Rachel?**

Rachel thought for a moment. Now she knew she would have to go visit. But thankfully, she was Rachel Berry. And since she was Rachel Berry, she had already formulated a plan. They would never know about Seth. At least, not yet. She picked up her cell phone and dialed the number of one of her best friends, Priscilla Jenkins. She had met Priscilla in college. Priscilla was a dancer, and although she could sing a little bit, she focused her career on dancing techniques. The two instantly became best friends and because they became so close, Rachel told Priscilla about Seth. She was the only one who knew about him. Of course, this was after he had been born. Rachel needed someone to vent to, and since Priscilla was right there, Rachel felt as though she should be the one. Seth had grown attached to her, and Rachel found it to be just perfect. She knew Priscilla would watch Seth for just a few weeks while Rachel was away. Or, at least, she hoped she would.

"Hello?" Priscilla picked up on the third ring.

"Hey." Rachel said a bit too cheerfully.

"Oh, hi, Rachel!" Priscilla exclaimed. "What's up?"

"I need to ask you a favor." Rachel began.

"Sure, go ahead." She didn't even sound wary. Rachel loved her.

"Well, you see, I signed onto my instant-messaging thing…"

"Simple explanation, sweetie." Priscilla interrupted. Rachel smiled and then explained to Priscilla that she was now, apparently, going down to Lima for a few weeks and needed someone to watch Seth.

"Because you still don't want them to know?" Priscilla guessed.

"Exactly. And since you're so attached to Seth…"

"Of course I'll watch him. We'd have loads of fun. How long will you be away?" Rachel thought for a moment.

"Five weeks." She decided. It wouldn't be that long, and Rachel did feel a sudden yearning to spend time with her friends.

"So a little over a month." Priscilla concluded. Rachel's heart pounded; would she decline now?

"I'll pay you." Rachel offered. She may not have been the riches person in New York, but Rachel could spare some money for her friend, especially if she was babysitting her child for a month.

"You don't have to pay me." Priscilla laughed. "Besides, I still owe you from that one time you took care of me when I got that bad case of the flu. You took care of me for at least two weeks."

"Any friend would do that." Rachel murmured.

"And any friend would watch their friend's child…so in our case, I'll watch Seth for five weeks." Priscilla mused, and Rachel wondered if Priscilla was making fun of her now.

"I'll pay you." Rachel insisted.

"Look, if you really want to pay me, go ahead. I could use the extra cash. But don't pay me a crapload of money; just pay me as if I was watching Seth for two days. I'd make eighty bucks right then and there. I don't want you to go broke, Rachel."

"Fine." Rachel breathed a sigh of relief. She could spare eighty dollars.

"Alright, well, I'm sitting here watching reruns of 'So You Think You Can Dance' and it just came back from commercials."

"Meaning you have to go." Rachel translated with a laugh.

"Yep."

"Okay, I'll talk to you later." Rachel said.

"You bet. When are you leaving?"

"Three days, but the time has yet to be determined."

"Okay. That gives me enough time to baby-proof my place. Oh, and is there anything in particular that he likes?" Priscilla asked, though she seemed very distracted. Rachel knew it was because she was watching her TV show reruns.

"Football." Rachel replied.

"Hm. That gives me an idea…all right, TTYL, Rachel." Priscilla hung up. Rachel closed her phone and got up off her bed and peeked out of her room to see Seth still sitting and watching the football game. His eyes were transfixed on the game and Rachel wondered if he even understood what was going on. How long did football last anyway? It was then she remembered her instant-message chat. She darted back to her computer and (no surprise) it was filled with messages.

**khummel654 has replied**

**yeah, how long r u staying, Rachel?**

**divajones3 has replied**

**she seems to have disappeared.**

**khummel654 has replied**

**Rachel? Rachel? Where art thou, Rachel?**

**quinnie2 has replied**

**ur not helping, Kurt. **

**thatwheelchairkid6 has replied**

**come out of hiding, Rachel!**

**bluestreak66 has signed on**

**bluestreak66 has joined the chat**

**Rachel's online? It's been forever since she's come on!**

**khummel654 has replied**

**sorry, Tina, Rachel is being anti-social.**

**quinnie2 has updated her status**

_**Waiting for Puck to come pick me up. Trapped at my neighbor's house.**_

**divajones3 has liked quinnie2's status**

**How r u managing to talk to us then, Quinn?**

**quinnie2 has replied**

**Thank God for cell phones.**

**bluestreak66 has replied**

**lol.**

**thatwheelchairkid6 has replied**

**so you and puck are an item again, eh?**

**khummel654 has replied**

**stop talking like ur Canadian, Artie.**

**quinnie2 has replied**

**it's complicated.**

**bluestreak66 has replied**

**like your new user name, Artie.**

**thatwheelchairkid6 has replied**

**thanks!**

**thatwheelchairkid6 has signed off**

**bluestreak66 has replied**

**Where the hell is Rachel?**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**Sorry, I got sidetracked.**

**khummel654 has replied**

**that's what they all say. Glad to see ur back.**

**bluestreak66 has replied**

**so you're coming to Lima?**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**Yes.**

**quinnie2 has replied**

**for how long?**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**five weeks.**

**divajones3 has replied**

**hallelujah! The girl finally listens.**

**khummel654 has replied**

**just five weeks?**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**What do you mean, 'just five weeks'? It's over a month!**

**bluestreak66 has replied**

**well, what did you expect, Rachel? We haven't seen you in over a year. **

**khummel654 has replied**

**five weeks is pretty pitiful compared to a year and a half.**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**I'm a very busy person.**

**quinnie2 has replied**

**at least she's coming down. Oh, thank the Lord; Puck's here!**

**divajones3 has replied**

**have fun, girl ;P**

**quinnie2 has signed off**

**khummel654 has replied**

**and then there were four.**

**bluestreak66 has signed off**

**khummel654 has replied**

**make that three.**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**lol.**

**divajones3 has requested video chat. Decline or accept?**

**khummel654 has joined video chat**

**rachelberry225 has declined video chat**

**divajones3 has replied**

**what the hell? No video chat?**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**My web cam isn't working.**

**khummel654 has replied**

**oh well. In three days we'll see you anyhow. **

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**You bet.**

Rachel bought her plane ticket in the next moment before returning to the chat. She really declined the video chat because her room was a mess, filled with baby toys and clothes.

**sharkfinn5 has signed on**

**sharkfinn5 has joined the chat**

**hey guys. **

Rachel's eyes widened at the screen. She instantly did what she knew was best.

**rachelberry225 has signed off**

**Oh, so Rachel still doesn't want to talk to Finn, huh? I'll try and post Chapter 3 tomorrow, but I don't if I'll be able to because of school. I'll give you a hint: there will be quite a bit more of Finn in the next chapter (in flashback form) and the next chapter's theme is the song 'Unwritten'. Until then, REVIEW!**


	3. Chapter 3: Unwritten

**Hey, there, guys! I am so sorry that this update has taken so long! School has kept me busy, and now I have finally found time to write the third chapter! Updates will be quicker from now on, I promise. And I started a new fan fiction! Just look at my page to check it out! One more thing: thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews! Over twenty review and only two chapters! I feel so loved. Keep it up and I'll keep the updates coming! Love you all! Enjoy!**

Rachel stayed up all night packing for herself. And once she finished packing for herself, she had to pack for Seth. That morning she would be leaving for Lima, Ohio. She just hoped that a certain someone was still in Columbus. It was the night before that Rachel realized it might not just have been her idea to come back home for the summer.

When morning came around, Rachel was exhausted. She had made sure to pack enough clothes, her hair care products, make up, toothbrush, other important personal hygiene items, and the two scrapbooks she had made of her and Seth. Just in case she decided to tell them about him.

She began packing for Seth at about two in the morning, careful not to wake him up. She grabbed his green backpack and filled it with his building blocks, action figures, and many of Seth's other toys. She chose Seth's cuter and nicer clothes and put it in one of the bags, and put his crappy clothes (the ones he usually wore around the house) in another bag. She grabbed some of his books and put them in a separate bag and then packed his toothbrush in the side pocket of one of the bags along with his children's toothpaste. Of course, Seth was still teething and there weren't that many teeth he had to brush, but she felt as though he should take care of the few teeth he has now. No need to let them rot into nothing. Rachel had been very concerned about dental hygiene since that visit to the dentist when she was a junior and had the very vivid Britney Spears hallucination.

By the time Rachel had finally finished packing and cleaning her house, it was nearly four in the morning. She sighed and collapsed onto her bed, closing her eyes and almost instantly falling asleep. However, her sleep was short-lived, as she had set her alarm for six-thirty. And, alas, time had gone by quickly. She groaned, shutting it off and grabbing her change of clothes before darting off to the bathroom and taking her shower. Once she had finished, she changed into her V-neck pink and black-striped shirt with a matching pleated black skirt and black ballet flats that wrapped around her ankles. She applied a bit of make up and brushed her hair before putting in a black headband.

Once Rachel finished getting ready, she decided now would be a perfect to wake Seth up. The airport was an hour away from Rachel's house, and she still needed to drop him off at Priscilla's place. Her flight left at ten-thirty. She sighed and walked into Seth's room, gently shaking him awake. She felt bad for waking him up this early in the morning, but Kurt and Mercedes kept bugging her to make sure she got an early flight. And (though she had no idea why she had listened in the first place) she had gotten the earliest flight to Columbus, Ohio as possible. She was upset that she would be back in Columbus, but it was the closest airport to Lima. And besides, it wasn't like she was looking for Finn. If anything, she was avoiding him. Like she had three days before with the instant-message chatting.

Seth sat up in his crib and rubbed his eyes, clutching his little football. "Early." He complained, reaching his arms out for Rachel to pull him out of the crib. Rachel sighed and picked him up and placed him on the floor.

"I know, baby, I'm sorry." She apologized and pulled out a nice little T-shirt with matching shorts and dressed him. "But Mommy's leaving today and I have to bring you to Priscilla's house."

"Mama's leaving?" Seth asked, glancing at Rachel with wide eyes.

"Only for a little bit." Rachel promised. "I will come back, but you're staying here with Priscilla. You like Priscilla, remember?" Seth's eyes lit up and he nodded his head.

"Silla is nice." He mumbled. Rachel smiled.

"And she has a lot of fun things to do with you." Rachel continued. "And before you know it, Mommy will be back." She pulled his pajama shirt over his head and redressed him in his T-shirt and then dressed him in his shorts.

"Okay." Seth said.

"And you'll be good for Priscilla, right?" Rachel asked, picking him up and hoisting him over her shoulder. She carried him to the kitchen. He nodded his head, snuggling in her arms. She smiled and put back on the kitchen floor.

"Don't fall asleep yet, baby. Mommy's going to make you something special for breakfast." If he was anything like Finn, then he would definitely enjoy what Rachel had planned for him to eat. Seth glanced up, his eyes filled with curiousity.

"What?" He asked.

"Banana bread." Rachel replied, pulling out the little Pillsbury box of banana bread mix and the other needed ingredients.

"Nana bed?" Seth asked, his eyebrows furrowing together with concentration. Rachel giggled. She found it adorable that he had managed to miss the whole first part of the word 'banana'. There was no use correcting him now.

"Yes. It's something very yummy that your daddy loved very much." She bit her lip, and pulled out a measuring cup and loaf pan.

"Oh." She heard him mumble behind her. Then he was tugging her skirt. "Can I see?" He asked. Rachel smiled and handed him the box.

"Dough boy!" Seth cried with glee. Rachel laughed; she had made him Pillsbury cookies before, and the little doughboy was his idol. She wondered if Finn would have reacted the same way when he was little. Now she couldn't get the image of a little Finn screaming about Pillsbury products out her head. This was exactly the last thing she needed.

"Yes, it's the doughboy." Rachel smiled.

"Yummy." He mumbled, walking away with the box. Rachel smiled and glanced around for her mixer. Where the hell had it gone? Then she remembered: she hadn't used it in over a year. In fact, the last time she used it had been the last time Finn had been over to her house. She glanced up at her highest cabinet and sighed. Why did Finn have to be so damn tall? Or, to be more accurate, why did she have to be so damn short? She stood on her tiptoes, grunting as she finally managed to open the cabinet doors. Now there was just the task of getting the mixer down, and then, when she was done, back up.

"Mama too short." Seth observed. Great; now she was short even to the eyes of her one and a half-year-old son.

"Yes, honey, but I'll get it down." Damn Finn and his abnormal tallness. It was then her cell phone began to ring. She glanced at the clock; it was only six forty-five. Who would be calling at six forty-five in the morning? She picked it off the counter and left the kitchen.

"Hello?" She answered once she was in her room.

"You're coming down today, right?" It was Kurt, but Rachel wasn't surprised.

"Yes, but, Kurt…why did you call now? It's six forty-six." Rachel asked, glancing at her clock, fighting the urge to roll her eyes.

"And what time is your flight?" He asked, completely disregarding her question.

"Ten-thirty. But, Kurt, I reiterate…it's way too early to be receiving pointless phone calls."

"I figured you would be awake by now. And we have some planning to do."

"Planning?" She repeated; whenever you heard the word 'planning' associated with Kurt, it always meant bad news.

"Yes, of course! Like, where are you staying?"

"I don't know…I assumed I'd figure it out when I got there."

"And you're probably wearing your clothes, right?"

"Well, Kurt, to be honest, I think I'd be pretty scared if I wasn't wearing clothes." Rachel replied sarcastically.

"You've always had a dreadful sense of style; we're going shopping, too."

"You're scaring me, Kurt."

"And, we're all picking you up from the airport! How exciting is that?"

"I'm jumping up and down and screaming." Rachel replied, rolling her eyes. Why had she agreed to this?

"Ha ha, very funny, Ms. Sarcasm. Oh, that reminds me; what time do you suppose your flight gets in?"

"Um—" Before Rachel had a chance to finish, there was a loud thump and then the sound of Seth screaming. Rachel instantly darted out of her room and towards the kitchen.

"What is going on, Rachel?" Kurt demanded. Crap; she forgot that Kurt had been on the other line (as impossible as it seemed).

"Um, nothing. Just TV." Rachel lied quickly. What had Seth done?

"Well, then, Rachel…what the hell are you watching?"

"Nothing, Kurt, I have to go." She hung up and raced inside the kitchen. Seth was lying on the floor with the loaf pan lying right next to him. She knelt next to him and picked him up, cradling him in her arms. He didn't seem to be hurt that bad (which Rachel was extremely thankful for, as she had been imagining the worst case scenario). He was probably just shocked.

"Are you okay?" Rachel asked soothingly.

"Uh-huh. Hit my head." He sobbed.

"It's okay, baby." Rachel whispered. "Your head will be fine."

"I climbed up there, to reach the thing for Mama. I wanted to be tall for her." Seth continued sobbing. Rachel's heart nearly stopped and it took everything to remain calm.

"Oh, baby, you don't have to be tall for Mommy. You're still my baby." Rachel pulled away from him and wiped a tear from his eye. "Don't climb on there again, okay?"

"Yes, Mama." Seth sniffled and Rachel sighed, standing back up.

"I'm going to get it now, and we'll have some yummy banana bread." Rachel glanced back up at the cabinet and sighed. After standing on her tiptoes and reaching as far as she possibly could (pulling a muscle in her arm in the process), she finally managed to bring the mixer down.

"There's no way in hell I'm putting it back up there." She muttered as she began to mix the ingredients. Forty-five minutes later, they were sitting at her table, both eating banana bread. Seth, just like his father, was completely in love with the treat.

"Yummy." He mumbled as he finished.

"I'll save some for you and Priscilla to eat." Rachel promised, packing the remaining pieces into a container. "Do you have your shoes on?"

"Uh-huh." He nodded his head, hopping of his chair. Rachel smiled, grabbing her bags and then tossing Seth's over her shoulder.

"Then let's get going." Just as they made their way to the door, her phone started ringing again. This time, Rachel checked the caller ID, not at all surprised to see it was Kurt. She put her phone on silent and headed out the door of her apartment, Seth following close behind. She locked the door and glanced at it before making her way over to the elevator. In only a few hours, Rachel would be back in her hometown. And suddenly, she realized that she probably wouldn't be the only one returning to Lima for the summer. She just had to hope that a certain someone wouldn't be returning, and her five weeks would be just fine.

-glee!-

As soon as Rachel boarded the airplane, she already found herself missing Seth. Rachel, afraid she would forget, paid Priscilla in advance, and said one last goodbye to her son. Seth, however, wasn't nearly as emotional as Rachel was. He was completely jazzed; she knew Finn would have reacted the same way, too. Priscilla promised to call Rachel every night so she could say goodnight to Seth and check up on them. Rachel found this to be a pretty good idea, but argued that she wanted to be able to see Seth. Therefore, they arranged for every other night for Rachel to say goodnight to Seth via video chat.

It wasn't long after that the airplane took off. She smiled and closed her eyes, plugging her earphones into her ears and turning on her iPod. Finally finding a song that satisfied her mood, she found a comfortable position in the seat and smiled. Only a few more hours until she was back in Lima…visiting her friends and family. Maybe it wouldn't be as bad as she dreaded.

-glee!-

"Stop it, Finn." Rachel giggled in a soft voice. He smiled.

"You look really hot in that outfit, though." He commented.

"I'm just wearing a tank top and jean shorts." Rachel protested. "My hair's a mess, and we've both been sweating from moving box after box into my apartment." Finn grabbed her by the waist and brought her body close to his, a crooked smile lighting up his face.

"I like it." He whispered before pressing his lips to hers. Rachel pulled away and stared into Finn's beautiful hazel eyes before turning back to her mess of boxes.

"We still have more to unpack before we go to bed tonight." Rachel mumbled, desperately trying to take her mind off Finn.

"Aw, we're in New York now, babe." Finn said, stepping forward so he was right next to her. "And they say New York's the city that never sleeps. We can stay awake all night long." He waggled his eyebrows and Rachel giggled.

"I'm don't think the neighbors would agree." Rachel argued.

"Screw them. They don't know what it's like being eighteen and in love." He said, grabbing Rachel by the waist again and pressing his lips to hers once more. This time, though, she didn't pull away. After a few moments, Finn pulled away and sighed.

"Now I really wish I wasn't going back to Ohio." He mumbled. "I'm gonna miss you, Rach."

"I'll miss you, too." Rachel whispered. "But, you'll see, our relationship will still survive." He smiled.

"Yeah." He agreed. It was silent for a few moments before Rachel spoke up.

"You know what I'm going to miss the most about Lima?" Rachel asked.

"What?" Finn asked.

"Laying down outside my house and looking at the stars with you." Rachel sighed. "I don't have my own yard now that I'm living in an apartment, making it impossible to watch the stars." Finn was silent for a few minutes before he grabbed Rachel's hand and with trouble at all, dragged her out of her apartment.

"Where are we going?" Rachel asked.

"To look at the stars." Finn said.

"But we can't!" She argued as he pulled her outside. Finn pulled her to the edge of the parking lot and smiled as he pointed to a nice patch of grass near the entrance.

"See?" He said. "We can lay down and look at the stars." Rachel glanced at the road outside her complex and frowned as several cars whizzed by.

"Finn, we'll look like idiots." Rachel argued. He didn't listen to her as he got down to the ground. "Finn!" Rachel exclaimed.

"I don't care if I look the biggest moron ever, Rachel, because this is nothing compared to the time I walked down the hallway at school in my underwear. And besides, we'll look like idiots together."

"Well…"

"Come on, Rachel. It'll be romantic." He pleaded. She sighed and lay down next to Finn, snuggling close to his body.

"Happy?" She mumbled.

"Extremely." He said, beaming. Now matter how hard she tried, Rachel couldn't seem to remain annoyed with him. They giggled and talked and kissed. Rachel was sure that many people were wondering what they were doing, but she didn't care now. She was sharing a precious moment with her boyfriend. And that was all that mattered at that moment.

-glee!-

Rachel awoke to the pilot's voice over the loudspeaker saying to prepare for landing. She sighed and turned off her iPod. She didn't understand why she had dreamt of Finn, especially their first moment in New York. It was, of all her memories with Finn, a very special one, but completely irrelevant to Rachel's previous thoughts. Weren't dreams supposed to reflect what you had been thinking of prior to falling asleep?

When the plane landed, Rachel made sure she was one of the first to exit. Surprisingly, she didn't have to wait that long for her luggage, and she definitely appreciated the extra time to herself. Still, she felt uneasy being in Columbus again. It was the closest airport to Lima, and although she didn't like being in the same city in which she broken up with her long-time boyfriend again, she decided to comply and hope for the best. And right now, the best would be a quick pick-up. Rachel didn't know who exactly was coming to pick her up from the airport, but she could guess that Kurt would be one of them as he had been the one to announce their plans for her pick up.

Just as Rachel was about to take a seat, she heard loud footsteps coming in her direction. She spun around, dropping one of her bags, to see Kurt, Mercedes, Tina, Quinn, and Brittany all running in her direction.

"Rachel!" They all screeched at once. Her eyes widened; they weren't going to stop. Without thinking, Rachel dropped all her bags and ran in the opposite direction.

"Slow down, Rachel!" Tina called behind her.

"You slow down first!" Rachel retorted, still keeping her pace. When she finally heard the footsteps recede, Rachel came to a stop and turned around to see her friends now calmly walking in her direction, their faces flushed and out of breath. Still, wide smiles were spread across their faces.

"You're finally here!" Quinn exclaimed, throwing her arms around Rachel in a tight embrace. The rest of them mimicked her movements, and Rachel found herself hugging them back.

"We missed you." Brittany mumbled.

"I missed you guys, too." Rachel said with a smile. Then she pulled away, the smile still wide on her cheeks. "We should go back and get my bags before someone steals them." She suggested.

"Of course!" Kurt exclaimed. "We'll all carry…" His voice drifted off as he scrutinized Rachel's outfit. "Activity number one: shopping."

"What's wrong with this outfit?" Rachel huffed. "It's cute."

"Yeah, _**cute**_. You need something hot. It's summer, Rachel." Kurt argued.

"He knows what he's talking about." Mercedes added in. Rachel sighed and rolled her eyes.

"The last time Kurt gave me a makeover-"

"Was years ago. And I have no ulterior motives this time." Kurt interrupted. "Trust me, Rachel, we're better off getting you some new clothes. Besides, all the new summer lines are out!"

"Fine." Rachel mumbled, knowing she'd never win an argument against Kurt. Let alone, an argument about fashion.

"And regarding your stay…" Kurt continued. "You're going to be staying at my house!"

"When did I ever agree to that?" Rachel asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You didn't get to because you rudely and abruptly hung up on me, and then ignored my other call." Kurt replied, casting a glare in Rachel's direction. She sighed.

"I guess it won't be that bad…"

'It's better then paying for a hotel room." Quinn chimed in.

"And then we'll have all-day access to you, Rachel!" Tina squealed.

"I'm not a toy; you don't need to 'access' me." Rachel mumbled.

"You know what we mean, honey." Mercedes said, elbowing her in the side. "Now, come on! Let's get this party started!" The others all let out a cry of agreement before dashing down to the areas where Rachel had dropped her bags. Tina picked up one, Mercedes picked up another, and Brittany picked up the last one. They all broke into laughter and exited the airport and every doubt that Rachel once had had vanished. Her five week stay would be amazing.

**Did you guys like it? Please give me reviews! This next update will come faster, I promise. Oh, and please check out my new story! One more hint: Finn will be returning very, VERY soon ****J. **


	4. FAQs

**Hello, my wonderful readers! Sadly, this is not a chapter update, but do not despair! Chapter 4 will be posted by Thursday at the latest. Lately, in the form of reviews or private messages or even emails from my closer friends, I have been asked a series of questions. I would like to use this update to answer all the frequently asked questions to hopefully settle some of your nerves and intrigue you. **

_Question 1: _Why are updates slower then before?

_Answer: _School makes things quite difficult to update every day. Although things have died down a bit, updates may still come pretty slow. But, I promise, I will be posting much more frequently! Not a week will go by without an update, whether it be on 'It Only Takes 5 Weeks to Fall in Love' or 'Hanging On by a Thread'! This, I swear!

_Question 2: _Why did you make Finn cheat on Rachel?

_Answer: _Well, for this question, I have a plethora of answers, my darlings. First off, he's done it before (remember the date with Brittany and Santana? And even when he wasn't dating Rachel, he was still dating Quinn, still making Rachel just 'another woman'). And he does have a reason, which is revealed later.

_Question 3: _When will Finn come back?

_Answer: _Hmm…let's just say that Chapter 4 will be very enjoyable for all you wondering when he will return. And, I will be confirming these two things: Finn is not living with Kurt and when Rachel and Finn cross paths again, Rachel won't be so eager to jump right into his arms. He needs to prove himself to her before they get back together.

_Question 4: _Why are you leaving Seth with Priscilla for so long?

_Answer: _SPOILER ALERT! Something happens, cutting the five weeks short and sending Rachel back to New York. I won't say what, but Rachel won't be staying the full five weeks. So do not worry! I know better then to leave a one year old child with someone other then their mother for five weeks.

_Question 5: _Will Rachel and Finn end up together?

_Answer: _Well, duh! This is a Finchel story, so they are bound to end up together. I have actually just finished outlining a very intense, heated scene for them (because I manage to outline my ideas before writing them out with detail), which will be in either Chapter 8, 9, or 10.


	5. Chapter 4: You Found Me

Hello, there, readers! Have you missed my updates and me? I told you I would have Chapter 4 up by Thursday! This chapter is filled with fun with some of the other characters introduced in Chapter 3, a little story as to how Jacob's new fiancé is connected to Finn, Will and Emma meeting, and of course, the amazing meet-up scene with Finn! Sadly, I must warn you that this chapter ends with a major cliffhanger. But do not despair! Chapter 5 will be posted in good time! And, I wrote you all a Finchel-filled sneak peek just to keep you entertained and not-Finchel deprived! The sneak peek will be included in Chapter 8. Just look at the next chapter to read it! One more thing: I am interested in getting myself a Beta reader. If you are interested PM me (and tell me how that whole system works ;D). Now, enjoy! And don't forget to review!

They arrived at Kurt's house in good time, considering how much longer the drive could have taken. The whole way home, Brittany and Quinn were arguing about who would be able to execute the most perfect flips in one minute. To shut them up, Mercedes told them they'd have a competition when they returned.

Once they finally made it to Lima, Tina nudged Rachel in the side. "Remember Jacob?" She whispered.

"You mean Jew-Fro?" Quinn broke in, obviously eavesdropping. But Tina didn't seem to mind; she nodded her head.

"Yeah, him." Tina turned back to Rachel and lifted her eyebrows to prompt her to answer.

"How can I not remember?" She muttered, shuddering at the memory. That kid had always been quite the creep. Many rumors and cruel (but true) comments circled the school about the poor kid. Rachel's favorite, however, was 'guess who's going to be a future pedophile?'. Now matter how cruel it was, it was too true.

"He got engaged." Tina whispered. Rachel's eyes widened in horror.

"He _**what**_? To who?" Rachel was, for once, speechless. Instead of answering, though, Tina shifted uncomfortably and averted her gaze.

"I…I don't know if I have the liberty to say." She whispered. Suddenly, the car grew eerily quite and a knowing look entered the eyes of everyone else.

"What do you mean?" Rachel asked before rolling her eyes.

"Well…" Tina broke off, glancing up at Quinn.

"Just promise you won't react in anyway." Kurt interrupted.

"I never had a thing for Jacob; I don't understand how I'd react." Rachel protested.

"Not Jacob. Who he's engaged to."

"Stop prolonging things and just tell me already." Rachel snapped. Kurt sighed, pulling into the driveway of his house. He turned off the car and everyone got out, each one of them grabbing one of Rachel's bags.

"It's a long story." Quinn explained.

"I have plenty of time." Rachel responded, the annoyance rising.

"You sure you want to know?" Mercedes checked as they walked in, dropping Rachel's bags at the entrance.

"Yes!" Rachel cried in exasperation.

"Sit down." Kurt sighed. Rachel groaned and rolled her eyes, muttering an 'oh my goodness' before she sat down on Kurt's couch. They sat down next to her, all except for Kurt, who sat right across from her.

"Alright." He began. "A few months after you and…well, you know who, broke up…he came down to Lima for a visit." Rachel's heart stopped and she closed her eyes.

"What does this have anything to do with Jacob?" She whispered.

"See? I knew she'd react." Mercedes threw her hands in the air.

"I'm not reacting." Rachel protested, turning to Kurt. "Go on." She said hesitantly. Kurt sighed before continuing.

"His new girlfriend tagged along, curious to meet all his little friends. Her name was Grace. I guess Grace was a nice girl, small, blond, but she was no you, Rachel. Even Finn knew that she could never compare to you, and that their relationship would never be the one you and him had. But he still loved her; he proposed to her while here." Rachel's hands tightened into fists and she closed her eyes.

"He can stop if you want." Brittany whispered softly.

"No." Rachel said through gritted teeth; although it hurt to hear Finn had managed to get engaged while Rachel sat alone in her apartment expecting their child, she still wanted to know what this had to do with Jacob's engagement and how Finn's relationship ended (as she assumed he hadn't married this Grace girl).

"I don't know exactly what happened; Puck might have more information if you want to know, as Finn is closer to Puck then to any of us. All I know is Grace and Finn got into some huge argument the last week of their stay and she left him. The wedding was off, and that was the last major relationship Finn was in after you two. Sure, he dated around, like I assume you did, but he never considered any of the other girls his girlfriend. Anyways, Grace met Jacob and, well, they fell for each other. Hard. Now, they're engaged, and we think this one is for good." Kurt concluded.

"Is…is Finn here now?" Rachel asked in a voice barely above a whisper. The eerie silence filled the room again and she could feel them all exchanging glances. The one thing Rachel was hoping to avoid while in Lima just had to ruin her vacation. How could she have not guessed?

"We've…hear rumors saying he may be coming down, but they're just rumors, Rachel. We haven't seen any sign of him, so I hardly doubt, if he is here, that you'll run into him." Kurt answered, pausing at certain parts. He held Rachel's gaze, eyes filled with curiousity and sympathy as they let the subject of Finn drop.

"So…who else has yet to arrive to Lima?" Rachel asked. This was a much easier conversation to have as it had nothing to do with Finn.

"Santana, Sam, and Mike, but Mike is spending the summer with his new girlfriend." Quinn answered.

"Sam gets in tonight, and Santana is coming down next week." Kurt explained.

"What happened between you and Mike, Tina?" Rachel asked.

"We just decided that we worked better as friends." Tina replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "Trust me, I'm okay with being just friends with Mike. Besides, I have feelings for someone else." She added shyly.

"Artie?" Quinn asked.

"Yeah." Tina smiled.

"I knew it." Brittany muttered.

"Mike's new girlfriend is Greek. Her name is Lena." Kurt waggled his eyebrows and Rachel laughed.

"I never thought he'd date anyone who wasn't Asian." She paused, then turned to Tina. "No offense, Tina."

"None taken. I understand what you meant." Tina smiled.

"What is the dish with the new couples?" Rachel asked; she hadn't realized she had been missing out on such important news.

"Glad you asked. Tina and Artie will mostly likely get back together, Quinn and Puck are together, but they claim that it's too complicated to consider 'dating', Santana has swept through guys like there's no tomorrow, Brittany is still single, unless you count Santana, Mercedes is single, I'm still together with Blaine, who is sadly away for the summer, and you…well, what's your relationship status been like?" Kurt asked, smiling.

"Sad." Rachel said, smiling weakly. "I haven't dated since the break-up."

"At all?" Quinn asked, mystified.

"Nope." Rachel sighed. "I've been too busy to date." Definitely not a lie; Seth made dating too complicated (not that she ever wanted to).

"Was it really that bad?" Mercedes asked in a soft voice.

"Yeah." Rachel whispered. "I don't want to talk about it, though."

"Okay." Kurt said, and smoothly made a transition to their next topic: Mr. Schuester.

"He's still teaching at McKinley, did you know that?" Quinn asked.

"Really?" Rachel asked. "Isn't he, like, thirty-nine now?"

"Yep. But here's the good stuff: he finally got Ms. Pillsbury back…and they eloped! I never would have thought…and I guess they're expecting a kid now." Kurt exclaimed. Rachel smiled.

"I never would have thought." She smiled. "Ms. Pillsbury will want to have as many epidurals as the nurses can possibly give her, because trust me, the pain is unbearable." There was silence, and suddenly, she realized what she had said. As if she couldn't have made it any clearer she had had a child.

"How would you know?" Brittany asked.

"Um…that's what I've…heard…"

"Well, she's right." Quinn winced. "Puck and I won't be having any more kids for a _**long **_time. And Shelby told me Beth started first grade. She can write and read now. Beth is accelerating and is now one of the brightest kids in her class." Quinn smiled. "I got to visit her a few weeks ago; she looks just like me…it's kind of creepy." They blew off Rachel's mess up (which she was thankful for beyond words) and continued to talk with each other, sharing gossip and laughing. Overall, they were having a nice time. And Rachel was glad she had come down to Lima. She almost forgot about Finn. Almost. But not quite.

-glee!-

After everyone left, Kurt tossed Rachel an apple and sat in the chair across from her again. "If you don't mind me asking, Rachel, why did you and Finn break up?"

Rachel sighed. "Finn never told you?"

"No. He never told anyone, not even Puck, and he tells Puck everything. I'd understand if you didn't want to tell me, but…"

"No, it's fine." Rachel sighed. "I went visit him for the holidays, unannounced, and caught him making out with another girl. I think her name was Linda."

"That's…I'm so sorry, Rachel." Kurt shook his head. "It just doesn't sound like Finn…"

"I don't want to talk about it anymore, Kurt." Rachel said softly.

"Do you still have feelings for him?" Kurt persisted.

"I…I don't know." Rachel answered honestly. "I really don't know. Part of me hates him for hurting me like that, but the other part of me will always love Finn. I just don't think I was ready to stop loving him." With that, she got up and walked over to the fridge and opened it up, still clutching onto the apple. After scanning the shelves from top to bottom, she closed the door.

"There's nothing in here I can eat." Rachel complained.

"Of course there is." Kurt argued.

"Nothing here a _**vegan **_can eat." Rachel corrected herself, emphasizing the word 'vegan'. Kurt paused, then cursed under his breath.

"Damn, I forgot you were a vegan. I would have gone to the grocery store otherwise." He glanced at the apple in her hand. "Can't you eat the apple, though?"

"An apple isn't an adequate meal." Rachel argued, crossing her arms. Kurt sighed.

"Then I'll go to the grocery store right now." He grabbed his keys before Rachel snatched them from his hands.

"I'll go; it's my food you'd be buying, and I would like to pay for my own expenses. You stay here; I'll be back shortly." Rachel smiled and pranced out the front door, got in Kurt's car, and started towards the grocery store. Some time alone would be nice. She loved her friends, but the amount of Finn-talk had exceeded the amount she had been willing to have, which was none.

-glee!-

Really, Rachel never intended to go to the grocery store; dinner was a few hours away, and she never truly ate a real dinner back in New York. Rachel had honestly (though she would never admit it to Kurt because he would tease her nonstop) forgotten shampoo, conditioner, and pajamas. She had left that bag sitting on her bed. So Rachel was off to the nearest Wal-Mart to buy some new ones.

Once she reached Wal-Mart, she walked right in, not bothering to get a cart, and veered straight for the clothing department. Lately, Rachel had been too tired to care about changing into real pajamas, so she had been sleeping in an oversized T-shirt (that just so happened to belong to Finn). Now, she would make sure to buy some real pajamas. And real pajamas for women her age were slightly cleavage-revealing tank tops with short shorts.

"Rachel? Is that you?" She spun around and here lips spread into a wide smile.

"Mr. Schuester!" Rachel exclaimed. How long had it been since she had last seen her glee director? Four years? Four years…it made Rachel upset to think she had been away from him that long.

"I knew it." Mr. Schuester beamed; he looked exactly the same. There were no signs of any further aging; he was still in great shape. Then Rachel saw Ms. Pillsbury (or would she be Mrs. Schuester now?). One look was all it took and Rachel knew she was definitely pregnant. About three or four months along, Rachel would guess.

"Look, Emma." Mr. Schuester continued. "I told you it was Rachel."

"I didn't say you were wrong." Ms. Pillsbury insisted.

"It's nice to see you both again." Rachel smiled.

"You, too." Mr. Schuester grinned. "You're looking well. How's New York?"

"Amazing." Rachel beamed. "I'm staying for five weeks, but I forgot pajamas."

"Five weeks? Awesome." Mr. Schuester grinned. "You know, the new glee kids aren't nearly as good as you guys were. I've almost considered reuniting the original New Directions just to teach them what we're really about." Rachel laughed.

"They can't be that bad…"

"They don't know how to do mash-ups. At all. And the two of them that claim to be our lead singers can't hit all the notes in our duets. Maybe you and Finn could demonstrate?" Rachel's face fell.

"But it's summer." Rachel said softly. "School's been let out, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, of course. But we agreed to meet three times a month, giving us six meetings. Trust me, we could use improvement, and this will help prepare them for competition. But if you and Finn came to one of the meetings and demonstrated a duet…well, I think that would motivate them to be better. Where is Finn? Is he off in the men's department? I'll go find him there."

"Finn's not here, Mr. Schuester." Rachel sighed. "We broke up. A year ago."

"Oh, Rachel…I'm sorry…I didn't know…" Mr. Schuester's face fell. "And you can call me Will and her Emma, if that makes you feel more comfortable."

"I'm so sorry, sweetie." Emma whispered. "There's nothing worse then a break-up, especially with someone you've been with for so long. You and Finn were together for six years. That's amazing, considering the average length of any youth relationship."

"I miss him." Rachel admitted in a soft voice. As Will stared at his former student, he couldn't help but think that she looked so…lost, broken. He had never seen Rachel like this before, never. He had always seen her with her head held high and a smile wider then any he had ever seen plastered on her face.

"The break-up has left scars with you." He guessed. "Scars you don't want to talk about." Rachel's eyes widened. Did he know? Did she look like she had given birth to a child? Rachel had sworn she had worked off all that extra weight. No; she'd lie. No one could know about Seth.

"Any break-up would leave scars." Rachel said softly before glancing at her watch. She cast them both a weak smile and straightened her posture. She grabbed a pair of pajamas and brushed her bangs out of her eyes. "I have to get going now. It was nice running into both of you. And good luck with your pregnancy, Emma."

"Is it really that noticeable?" She complained, wincing.

"It's not bad." Will whispered. Emma glared at him and Rachel smiled. She said goodbye and grabbed the last few things she needed before paying and leaving. However, now that she had been gone for so long, she realized she was a bit hungry. A little bit of grocery shopping wouldn't hurt.

-glee!-

She had shopped enough to last her a few days. Now Rachel was waiting in the checkout line. As she began to unload her items onto the conveyer belt, she dropped a few items. Cursing, she bent down to pick them up, her dark brown hair falling into her face. A hand met her hand as it helped her pick up the fallen items.

"Thank y—" She stopped mid-sentence as she glanced up to see who her helper was. Her eyes widened as she stood up, staggering back a few steps.

"Finn?"

**Besides Chapter 2, this has to have been my most favorite update. I love doing cliffhangers (because I at least know what will happen next), but I hate reading them. So, because I love you all so much, I promise that my next update will come quick. But please do me a favor: help me reach 50 reviews! I'm already so close (if I'm not yet there), and the sooner I reach 50, the sooner I might update…in other words, REVIEW IF YOU EVER WANT TO READ CHAPTER 5! Oh, and there's a sneak peek included in my next post. Go on, read it! You know you want to…**


	6. Sneak Peek!

Hello, there, my wonderful and dedicated readers! I understand that the long-awaited/anticipated Chapter 4 has been posted, but I couldn't help but feel terrible that this may be my only update for the week (sad face). So, I decided to give you all what you were hoping for: a sneak peek of a Finchel "hello" scene. Hmm, you can only guess what happens here! This scene will be used in Chapter 8, and there is much more to it then I was willing to post. Be happy I have you these two paragraphs full of Finchel-hotness! Enjoy! Chapter 5 will be up very soon!

Their kisses became more heated as time went on. Tongues touch tongues, snaking in and out of each other's mouths. _My God_, Rachel thought. _This is what a kiss should feel like! _To think that this past year had spent without kissing anyone, and she could still kiss the way she used to. The way _**they **_used to.

Finn's hands gently guided down her back. Rachel let out a moan of protest, but it was weak; she didn't care. Their bodies moved in rhythm with their heartbeats, a perfect timekeeper. She could hear his heart beating softly from his chest, but the sound of her own blood pounding in her ears became more noticeable. She knew where this was going. And her thoughts were confirmed as he guided her down to the bed. But no matter how much Rachel wanted to, she couldn't resist. She had spent a year without Finn, and now she was kissing him again. And they were only moments away from professing their love to each other. A love that she knew would never go away.

**Did you like it? Love it? Want some more of it? Or did you hate it? Tell me in your wonderful reviews! That's another thing I love about you guys; you don't hesitate to review! And they're always good ones, too! I have over forty! FORTY! Can you believe it? And to think only four chapters plus a FAQ and sneak peek have been posted! Thank you so much, guys! Keep it up! And don't stop reading! Tell other gleeks and their gleek friends! Let the circle of gleeks never stop! REVIEW! Chapter 5 should be up by next Friday at the latest. **


	7. Chapter 5: Teenage Dream

**Hello, my darlings! Did you catch 'Furt' last night? Wasn't it cute? I loved it. I really want more Finchel, though XD! Here is the anticipated Chapter 5! I am so sorry it took me so long, but I joined an after school activity that is very time consuming. I hope you enjoy it, though! And don't forget to review!**

No. This could not be happening. Of all the people she could run into at the grocery store, of all the people that had to _**help **_her, it had to be Finn. Finn Hudson. He looked as hot as ever, kneeling in front of her with his trademark smile spread across his face. The beauty mark on his left cheek was still visible, and Rachel felt the same urge to kiss it just as she always had. Why did this have to happen to her?

"I knew it was you, Rachel." Finn said in a quiet voice, the smile growing wider. Those hazel eyes…Rachel was captivated by their beauty. She couldn't remember what she wanted to say. She didn't know anything, except how much she _**missed **_Finn, and those hazel eyes. But a part of Rachel was still gripping onto reality, reminding her what Finn had done.

"I have to go." Rachel announced, flipping her hair and spinning on her heel.

"No, Rachel, wait!" He called behind her, and then she felt his hand on her shoulder. It sent shivers up her spine, stopping her mid-step.

"What do you want?" Rachel asked in a cold voice, not bothering to turn away. She could already feel Finn's unease.

"What do you mean?" He asked. "I haven't seen you in over a year, and now I finally do. I just wanna know how you've been."

"I wonder why you haven't seen me in over a year." Rachel turned to face Finn, her heart beating faster. She hoped it didn't show just how nervous she was.

"Me, too. But that's beside the point." Rachel rolled her eyes; he hadn't changed at all. "I was wondering, since you're here too, if you'd like to…"

"I don't want to do anything with you right now, Finn." Rachel cut him off. "We broke up, remember? And if I remember correctly, it was because you were making out with another girl." It hurt Rachel so much to say it, but she had to.

"_**You**_ were broken up, Rachel. I wasn't…and I can explain everything. I do have a good reason. It isn't, you know, stupid or anything. It's good. It's…valid." He beamed before becoming serious again.

"If you didn't want to break up, then why didn't you call me? Or stop me from leaving, for that matter?" Rachel asked, before shaking her head. "I don't want to hear your answer." Her voice became soft and she glanced down at her feet. "I don't want to talk about this at all. I have to go." She paid for her food and went to leave.

"Wait! Rach!" She winced; he still called her by his nickname. Finn took a few steps forward, shoving his hands in his pockets. He looked her up and down; she still looked the same. She was hot, with that really pretty dark brown hair that smelled of her strawberry shampoo and those dark brown eyes. Yeah, she was still really small, but Finn always thought that made her so much hotter. She would lose some of her appeal if she had been taller. "How long are you staying?"

"Five weeks." Rachel murmured. "Why?"

"I dunno. Just wanted to know, I guess." He replied with a shrug. But Finn was smarter then that; in his mind, he was formulating a plan. Five weeks. That's all he had. But he would get Rachel back. In those five weeks, Rachel would be his again.

-glee!-

As soon as Finn was back at his mom's house, he dialed Puck's number; let it ring six times before Puck finally answered.

"Dude, you just interrupted the best make out session Quinn and I have ever had." He complained. Finn rolled his eyes.

"This is a lot more important." Finn promised.

"Nothing's more important then making out." Puck argued. "But, whatever. What's up?"

"Guess who I saw today." Finn prompted him.

"Uh…Santa Claus?"

"Dude, be serious." Finn groaned.

"Alright, alright. Just tell me."

"Rachel." There was a short pause before Puck replied.

"Well, yeah, dumb ass. Like, everyone knew she was coming down for a little bit. I can't believe you interrupted my make out session to tell me you saw your ex-girlfriend."

"_**I**_ didn't know she was coming down to Lima."

"Where have you been?"

"Well, you know, I haven't exactly been talking to you guys lately."

"Your fault. Berry hasn't been either; she signed onto her IM the other day, and what do you know, she's coming down to Lima."

"I was on the other day." Finn thought for a moment. "Oh, yeah! She signed off right when I got on. I remember now." There was silence before he heard a sigh on the other line.

"Really, dude? She's obviously avoiding you."

"No, she's not." Finn protested.

"Uh, yeah, she is. You really think it's just a coincidence she signs off right when you come on?"

"Yeah."

"You really are dumber then I thought. Just leave her alone. It's obvious that's she doesn't want anything to do with you. She's Rachel; she'll hold this to you for ten years before she moves on and completely forgets about you. Then you'll meet again and fall in love, and the cycle continues."

"I don't want to wait ten years before I can kiss her again! And she looks really, _**really **_hot." Finn argued.

"I've never considered Rachel to be hot. Sure, she's pretty, but she ain't hot, Finn. Now, Quinn…yeah, she's hot." Puck sighed. "I don't even know why I'm having this damn conversation when I could be making out with Quinn."

"I'm gonna get her back." Finn decided, ignoring Puck.

"No, Finn, leave Rachel alone…"

"By the end of those five weeks, I'll be holding her on my arms again."

"Dumb ass. You're just going to push her away even more."

"No; I can tell she misses me."

"Now, you see, that's a little something called _**fantasizing**_. Stop fantasizing about Berry and move on. She obviously has."

"You think she's got a new guy?" Finn asked, his heart nearly stopping.

"No. But she doesn't want you." Puck sighed. "Look, I gotta go. Quinn's looking all hot, standing at the doorway, and it's getting me all hot and bothered." Finn sighed.

"Whatever."

"Leave Berry alone. If she wanted to see you, she would come to you."

"Sure, fine." Finn said goodbye and hung up, leaning back in his bed before sending Artie a quick text.

_Finn: Did u know Rach was coming down to Lima?_

_Artie: Yeah. She's staying Kurt's according 2 Tina._

_Finn: Thanx. _

_Artie: No prob._

All the information he needed to get. He smiled, dug through a pile of his stuff before finding what he was looking for. His plan was foolproof.

-glee!-

"That had to have been the longest grocery run I've ever seen, especially considering what a minimal amount of food you bought." Kurt scrutinized Rachel until she felt uncomfortable and looked away.

"I was tired. And it was really busy." She mumbled.

"Uh-huh. Okay. Let's just go with that." Kurt made room in his fridge, unloaded the food Rachel bought, before turning back to face her. "You ran into someone, didn't you? Someone that's got you all upset…cough, cough Finn."

"I didn't run into Finn." Rachel protested, her face turning red. "I ran into Will and Emma."

"Mr. Schuester and Ms. Pillsbury? How are they? Is she pregnant?" Kurt asked.

"They're fine. And yes, she's pregnant."

"Oh, how sweet! Boy or girl?" Kurt gushed.

"It's too early to tell. She's only three months along." Rachel explained, rolling her eyes.

"And you expect me to know that?" Kurt sighed. "How far along does someone have to be in their pregnancy to tell the sex of their child?"

"Five months." Rachel answered quickly…a bit too quickly.

"And you know this because…?" Kurt raised an eyebrow. Rachel folded her arms across her chest and glanced at the floor. What could she say? And then her cell phone rang. She lunged for the phone, glancing at her caller ID and smiled when she realized it was Priscilla.

"It's…my, uh, someone important." Rachel lied. "I gotta take this call."

"Hm, would it be your new boyfriend?" Kurt asked, waggling his eyebrows.

"Oh, yes, definitely, Kurt. The fact that I said I had been single since Finn and I have been broken up definitely means I have a new boyfriend. It all makes perfect sense." Rachel said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"I hope you know I was joking…"

"Whatever. Just shut up. I've got to take this call." Rachel closed herself in her room before answering the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, there, Lima girl! How's Ohio?" Priscilla cried into the phone. "We miss you up here!"

"I miss you guys, too. And Lima's nice. Besides the fact I've already run into my ex, it's great."

"Ah, hell no! Seth's dad?"

"Yeah." Rachel replied weakly.

"What the hell is he doing in Lima? You weren't supposed to run into him! I'm sorry, Rachel. That sucks. Douche bag."

"Calm down, Priscilla. How's Seth?"

"He's doing great! Already watched a rerun football game. Who knew they did crap like that? I sure as hell didn't."

"Priscilla, I'd appreciate it if you didn't curse that much in front of my kid."

"Oh, don't worry! He's playing in his room. I found some of my childhood toys. He loves them!"

"Whatever. Just refrain from using foul language around him. He's much smarter then anyone would give a one-year-old credit for, and he picks up on things really fast. Especially new words."

"I'll be careful." Priscilla promised. "Hey, if I put on 'Remember the Titans' for him, do you think he'd understand it?"

"Not really…"

"You said he was smart." She protested.

"I didn't say he was the next Einstein." Rachel argued. "But do whatever floats your boat."

"Who says that anymore?" Priscilla scoffed. "Does he have any food allergies? Anything he absolutely hates?"

"He doesn't like eggs or any sort of meat."

"Gee, thanks, Rach. I'll remember that when I'm making _**breakfast**_."

"No, he doesn't really _**not **_like anything. But he is pretty much a vegan like me." Rachel replied, rolling her eyes.

"One and a half and you've already got him on your crazy diet. Whatever. You know I love you, Rachel!" At this, Rachel scoffed, then broke into laughter.

"Keep telling yourself that." Rachel said with a smile.

"See you soon, Rachel. I'll call later tonight and have Seth say goodnight."

"That would be great. Thank you, Priscilla, for everything."

"No problem! I owe you, remember? The flu incident?"

"Don't remind me." Rachel groaned. "You could have gotten me sick."

"But I didn't. I just got sicker and you had to watch me for the grand total of two weeks. So five weeks is no biggy for me." Priscilla said. "Alright, TTYL, Rachel!"

"Bye." Rachel said, and then hung up. There was a light tap on her door, and without any warning, it flew open. Kurt was standing in the doorway, arms crossed with one eyebrow raised.

"Who told Finn you were staying here? How did he even know you were here?" He asked. Rachel sat up.

"How do you know Finn knows I'm here?" Rachel asked. "I ran into him at the grocery store, but I never told him I was staying with you."

"Someone told him, then." Kurt sighed.

"How would you know?"

"Because he's standing right behind me." Instantly, Rachel shot out of bed and pushed Kurt aside to get a better look herself. Sure enough, there was Finn, hands shoved in pockets with a half-grin on his face.

"Hi, Rachel." He said.

"What the hell?" Rachel muttered under her breath, rubbing her temples. "Why are you here, Finn?"

"I had something I wanted to tell you."

"You couldn't have called?"

"I knew you wouldn't answer your phone." Finn replied smoothly, and Rachel knew he was right. She sighed.

"If you want him to leave, just tell me." Kurt said soothingly, casting a glare in Finn's direction.

"I'm not gonna hurt her." Finn protested.

"Come on, Finn." Rachel sighed, leading him to her room. "You better be quick, though, or I will have Kurt kick you out."

"I promise I'll be fast." Rachel led Finn into her room, closed the door, and threw herself on the bed, sitting up and crossing her arms.

"What is it you want to tell me?"

"Well, actually, I've got something to give you." Finn corrected, fumbling around in his pocket until he pulled out a small, neatly wrapped box. Rachel glanced from the box to Finn before sighing.

"Finn, there is no such thing as a Christmas in July, I hope you know."

"Of course I know _**that**_. This is the Christmas present I never got to give you." He said silently, still holding out the small box. Rachel closed her eyes and looked away, taking a deep breath as he continued. "I was gonna give it to you when I saw you. But…well, you know what happened. And I found it again, and I just wanted to give it to you."

"I don't want it." Rachel whispered.

"Come on, Rach…I spent quite a bit of money on it, not to mention that I had to pay to have that mean department store lady wrap it. Just take it; it's yours, anyway." Finn pleaded.

"Finn…"

"You'll really like it, Rachel." Finn interrupted. Rachel had to take the gift; if she took it, then she would feel closer to Finn, and those five weeks would fly by faster then he could imagine.

"I don't doubt I will." Rachel replied honestly. "You always got the best gifts. For both Hanukah and Christmas."

Finn grinned. "Just take it, Rachel. You don't have to think anything of it. I just thought you should have it."

Rachel paused for a moment. Had those events not occurred a year and a half ago, she would have had this gift to begin with. And Seth would have had a dad. She sighed. "Okay. Thank you, Finn." She reached outward and gently took the gift from his hand. Even though her skin only touched his for the briefest moment, it still made Finn stiffen. Just the softest stroke…he closed his eyes and slowly shoved his hand back in his pocket. Her hands were cold, he observed. Why were they so cold? Was Rachel feeling all right? Why was he worrying?

"Are you alright, Finn?" Rachel asked in a quiet voice. "You look…distracted." Was it just Rachel, or had Finn's hands been awfully warm? Or were hers just cold? They had felt nice…just like they used to.

"Uh…yeah. I think I should be going." Finn said hastily, and turned to open the door. Rachel watched as he turned the doorknob, then leapt off her bed.

"Wait, Finn." Rachel pleaded. He paused and turned back to face her. She was only inches away from him, her dark hair falling perfectly over her shoulders, her bangs falling into her eyes. With one quick movement, she swept them out of her vision and stared at with sincerity in her dark brown eyes. With one of her hands, she reached out and touched his arm lightly. "Thank you." She whispered, pulling her hand away. Unable to speak, he just nodded his head. The feeling of Rachel's hand on his arm…he wanted to scoop her up and place a kiss on her lips so bad. He wondered if she knew she was driving him insane.

Rachel watched as he opened the door and disappeared, closing the door behind him. He seemed to be in such a rush…had Rachel done something? She sighed and glanced at the small box in her hand, curiousity provoking her to open the gift. She smiled; it was very thoughtful of Finn to bring her the gift, but she couldn't help but wonder if maybe he had something else in mind when he brought it to her.

-glee!-

"I don't know what to do, Finn!" Rachel exclaimed. "This is so nerve-wrecking. I can't believe how I'm reacting. Say something!" Rachel glared at Finn, readjusting her graduation cap.

"I…don't know what to say…" Finn said, watching as his girlfriend paced the floor, her eyebrows furrowed together in frustration.

"I'm so _**nervous**_, Finn. I never get nervous…but of course, now when I need to stay calm, I'm overreacting! It's my speech, Finn, and it's no good!"

"It's amazing. You read it to me yesterday, remember?" Finn argued, grabbing Rachel by the arm in an attempt to calm her down.

"I edited it this morning." Rachel mumbled. "It was too spacey and jumpy."

"Rachel," Finn tried again, placing his hand over her mouth to keep her from talking. "You're speech was amazing. You'll do fine. You're the valedictorian, and you're really smart. You're the smartest person I know, that's why they chose you. You're Rachel Berry; you'll do amazing."

"You…you think so?"

"Of course!" He placed his large hands on either side of her face and leaned forward, placing a hard, passionate kiss on her lips.

"And now a few words from our valedictorian, Rachel Berry." Cheers erupted from outside.

"Go." Finn mouthed, giving her a thumbs-up.

"Do I look okay?" Rachel asked quickly, starting across the stage. Finn smiled.

"You're perfect just the way you are."

-glee!-

She didn't know why she was standing outside his house. She couldn't even remember how she had gotten there; all she knew was know she was standing outside Finn's house, her hand floating over the doorbell. Her other hand was fingering the necklace she wore around her neck. It had been Finn's gift; a necklace with a gold star and their initials engraved into it. Finally, Rachel sighed and rang the doorbell, stepping back a few steps as the door opened. Of course, it had to be Carole.

"Rachel." There was no hiding the surprise in her voice as she stared her up and down. "I wasn't expecting to see you." Rachel forced a smile on her face.

"Is Finn here?" She asked.

"He's in his room." Carole answered, stepping back as she let Rachel in. "Thank you." Rachel mumbled, making her way to Finn's room. She opened the door, and there he was, lying down on his bed in a oversized T-shirt and boxers. He sat up, confusion furrowing his eyebrows together before he realized that this wasn't a dream. Rachel was standing right in front of him, in a tight V-neck spaghetti-strap shirt and short, tattered jean shorts. It was a very un-Rachel-like look, but Finn still liked it. It showed off her legs and some cleavage. Hell, this had to be a dream. But the pissed look on her face told him otherwise.

"Rachel." Finn said finally. "I'm sorry, if I had known you were coming over, I would have changed out of my pajamas."

"I don't care." Rachel sighed, her hand flying to her neck where the necklace hung. "I just wanted to thank you for the gift."

"You're welcome." Finn mumbled, standing up so he was only inches away from her. She could hear his ragged breathing as he made his way closer. Rachel nervously began fumbling with the necklace around her neck and took the tiniest step backward.

"Finn…" She began, but her protest was weak. It had no meaning, no motivation. Maybe he mistook it for a plead to just go ahead. Or maybe he was too wrapped up in himself to care. Either way, he didn't listen.

-glee!-

Carole was downstairs, loading dishes into the dishwasher and listening to the radio, thinking about nothing in particular. It was quiet and peaceful; she hadn't heard or seen anything of Rachel since she arrived, and Carole began to wonder if she and Finn were perhaps back together. She had known the young couple had broken up, but Carole never found out why, and now, for the first time, she found herself curious. Rachel had always been such a sweet girl and she made Finn so happy; what had destroyed that happiness?

Then she heard a door down the hallway swing open, and in the next moment, saw Rachel storm out of Finn's room, Finn stumbling right behind her. Carole put down the dirty dish she had in her hand and quietly walked out of the kitchen, now curious as to why Rachel was so upset.

"Rachel, wait." Finn pleaded, following Rachel to the front door.

"I don't need to wait." Rachel replied in a huff.

"Just tell me…what's wrong? Why are you so mad?"

"Why am I so livid? I can't believe you, Finn! You and your…don't talk to me again! Leave me alone and let me enjoy my five weeks without you in the picture!" In the next moment, she reached around her neck and unlatched the necklace that hung around her neck before flinging it right back it him. With his good reflexes, Finn managed to catch it and watched, speechless, as Rachel stormed out the front door. Carole blinked, letting the scene sink into her mind; she didn't know Rachel could be so…harsh.

"Finn?" She breathed, finally making herself known. Finn stiffened, still staring at the front door in shock and clutching the necklace close to his chest. He had never expected Rachel to react like _**that**_.

"Finn." Carole repeated in a louder voice. Slowly, he turned to face his mom. "What happened? What did you do to her?" Finn didn't answer; he stood there like an idiot, holding Rachel's necklace and letting his mind replay what had just happened. It seemed so unreal…so…he had no words. Yeah, he was upset Rachel was mad at him, but he got to…he couldn't even think about it, it just seemed so out of touch.

"Finn." Carole's voice broke into his thoughts. Her eyebrow was arched and he knew she was expecting an answer. He sighed.

"I kissed Rachel."

**I knew you all would be mad at me! And once again, I apologize for taking so long on updating! School has been crazy and my laptop went insane. But do not fear! Chapter 6 won't be as long of an update and will be posted by Saturday (hopefully) at the latest. I need 68 reviews, though, to post it :P. And if you really, REALLY want updates, help me get to 80 reviews and I will give you the ultimate update: a DOUBLE update. That's right; I'll post both Chapter 7 and 8 at the same time, and trust me, you don't want to keep these two apart. So please, my darlings, review! And if you want to say something bad, don't say it at all! And if you have a question, just private message me and I'll answer ASAP. Review!**


	8. Chapter 6: Stay Here Forever

**Hello, dear readers! I am sorry this update took a little longer then originally planned, but as you may notice, it is the longest update I have ever written! And regarding your double update…I am very proud of you all! I could never love you any greater! All I asked for was eighty reviews, but you guys gave me over one hundred! You will definitely get your double update with Chapter 7 and 8 (since that is what was originally planned). And because you all went over-the-top in reviewing, I will work even harder to update quicker. But because I still want the element of surprise to remain with you all, here is how the double update will work: on the day of my update, I will post Chapter 7 in the morning and wait to post Chapter 8 in the evening, giving enough time for some of the events that will occur in Chapter 7 time to settle into your minds. Chapter 8 will then be posted later that day, and there you guys go! I have decided that this story will have 15 chapters and possibly a sequel (I have an idea for one, I just need to know if it would be worth it). I have all the chapters planned out in detail, and now it's just a matter of writing them out. Now, who saw 'Special Education' this week? Was anyone else crying when Rachel and Finn broke up? I was so upset. But I recently figured out that they will get back together in the upcoming Christmas episode! Yay! And I will treat you all to a holiday one shot very soon. Now the moment you've all been waiting for…CHAPTER 6! By the way, this chapter is entitled 'Stay Here Forever', which is a song by Jewel. **

The fact is, Rachel never left. Finn's kiss made her so emotional, and the tears blurred her vision to the point where she couldn't see. And Rachel was smart enough to know not to drive in her condition. So she sat in her car (well, it was really Kurt's car), crying her eyes out, right outside Finn's house.

She didn't even know why she was crying as hard as she was. Oh, yes, she was definitely pissed, but these were tears of sadness. And as far as Rachel was concerned, she wasn't depressed. Or was she subconsciously saddened by the kiss?

Even though Rachel didn't want to admit it, the kiss had been nice. It had been so long since she had been kissed, and she didn't realize just how much she missed the feeling…the sensation that swept through her body as her lips locked with those of another person (though Finn had been the only one she had kissed in the longest time).

A light tap on the window of her car startled Rachel out of her thoughts. Without even looking, she knew it was Finn. For the briefest moment, Rachel wondered if maybe she could get away with starting up the car and speeding away. But her dads had always told her to face her fears instead of running away from them. So Rachel rolled down the window and flipped her hair out of her face and stared Finn right in the eye with her arms crossed.

The first thing Finn noticed was that Rachel had been crying, and knowing this only increased his guilt. He had made Rachel cry. Her make-up was running, but it wasn't that bad. It didn't look like she had suffered a bad prom night or anything…it just looked like her goldfish had died. But as Finn thought, he realized that wasn't such a good comparison. He sighed.

"I'm sorry, Rachel." He mumbled. Rachel shifted in her seat and sniffled, raising one of her eyebrows as if expecting more. "I guess I was just feeling lonely, and I won't lie…I miss you. I thought maybe you did, too…"

"You could've at least asked to kiss me instead of surprising me like that." She whispered.

"You would have said yes?" Finn asked, his heart nearly skipping a beat.

"No. But I would have liked that much better." Rachel cast a frown in his direction before sighing. The tiniest part of her knew she should apologize for overreacting the way she did, but Rachel would never admit that out loud.

Finn stood outside her car for a few brief seconds before feeling slightly uncomfortable. He didn't know whether he was forgiven or not, and it was bothering him not knowing where they stood now. Rachel knew something was bothering him, too; she could tell. But she felt it was only fair to leave him hanging.

"Do you forgive me, Rachel?" Finn asked in an uncharacteristically soft voice. Rachel stared into his eyes, finding sincerity to be the most dominant emotion, with a trace of guilt. She found it impossible to stay upset, but her mind had other plans. A tear or two rolled down her cheek as she nodded her head, and Finn let out a sigh of relief before flashing her his trademark grin. "Um…can I come in?" He asked. Rachel smiled and unlocked the car, watching as Finn opened the door and took a seat next to her. It was then she realized just how messed up she must look.

"Shit." She cursed, pulling out her mirror and running her fingers through her hair in an attempt to straighten it out. She wiped the tears from her eyes and did the best she could to fix her running make-up before looking in Finn's direction. "Do I look okay?" She asked in a soft voice.

"You look perfect just the way you are." Finn replied, the smallest smile lighting up his face. Rachel grinned and leaned back in her seat.

"I'll talk to you later, Finn." Rachel promised. Finn smiled.

"'Kay. Bye, Rach." He said, getting out of her car. Rachel watched him head back up his walkway, a small smile lighting up her face.

"Bye." She said softly as she watched the door behind him close. There was just one more errand she had to run before she returned to Kurt's house.

-glee!-

Her dads were shocked but joyful beyond words when they saw Rachel standing at their door. They both wrapped her up in their arms and embraced her tightly, afraid that if they let go, she'd leave and never come back. It had been since they had seen her, and they didn't want her to go once again.

They invited her inside and gave her small glass of water. It made Rachel smile, seeing the inside of the house she grew up in. She wondered if her room still looked the same; one day, she'd make sure to take Seth here. He would enjoy Lima very much.

"How you been, Rachy?" Leroy asked, smiling and sitting across from her.

"I've been well. How about you, Daddy?" She smiled and took a sip from her water and Leroy grinned.

"I've been doing pretty good, too. My knee's been acting up, but nothing too serious." Senior year of high school, Leroy had been in a pretty bad car accident and had injured his right knee. Every now and then, he would complain of a stiff, achy pain, but it was never anything too serious. Still, Rachel being Rachel tended to overreact about the smallest complaint of pain. The frown on her face made it clear to both Hiram and Leroy that she was overreacting right now.

"He's fine, Rach." Hiram jumped in, not wanting to worry her too much. "Just the normal thing."

"There's nothing normal about a recurring knee pain." Rachel argued, crossing her arms. Leroy laughed.

"You haven't changed at all, Rachy. You need to stop worrying and calm down. I'll be fine. I can walk and everything." He reassured her. Rachel gave Leroy a once-over before nodding her head.

"How's New York? Have you been picked up for anything else?" Hiram asked, changing the subject before Rachel could complain again.

"New York is wonderful, as always. And regarding Broadway…" Rachel paused. "I haven't found any roles that suit me."

"What a bummer." Hiram shook his head. "But you keep going for what you want, sweetie. Don't let them take you down."

"I know exactly what I want, Dad. When I find it, I'll stick to it with such motivation and dedication the director will beg me to do more lead roles for him or her in other musicals, and I will eventually get signed to do an original musical. Because of my dreamy voice, I will get nominated for a Tony and win and make you and all of Lima proud." Rachel explained, beaming. Oh, sure, she could dream for this to happen. But dreaming was all Rachel would ever do for a long time. It was nice, though, to keep them from getting suspicious.

"Sounds like quite a plan. And if anyone could accomplish it, it would be you. Just make sure you get us tickets to all those plays you do." Hiram smiled and cast a proud look in Leroy's direction.

"Of course." Her cell phone, conveniently put on vibrate, buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and noticed she had one new text from Kurt. She sighed. "Kurt wants me back home now. He needs my opinion on something."

"So you're staying at Kurt's?" Leroy asked; there was no mistaking the hurt in his voice and Rachel knew it was because she had chosen her friends over her family. A twinge of guilt tugged at her heart and she nodded her head.

"I would have stayed here, but I arrived on such short notice, I didn't know if everything would be prepared for my stay." Rachel said innocently. A lie; Rachel loved her dads, but this summer, Rachel wanted to spend time with the friends she had so carelessly neglected. At least in her year of hiding Rachel had occasional phone conversations with her dads.

"We understand." Hiram cut in quickly; he was upset Rachel wasn't staying with them either, but he was more sympathetic to Rachel then Leroy. He guessed that since Rachel shared more in common with him, he could relate to her problems more. "You just have to make sure to come and visit us very often."

"Of course!" Rachel exclaimed, standing up and throwing her arms around her dads. "Not a day will go by without hearing from me. I'll try to visit often, but I can't guarantee that I will always be available."

"Of course." Hiram said sweetly, smiling and hugging his daughter back.

"Come visit us within the next two days, or we're coming to find you." Leroy said, squeezing his daughter tightly. Rachel grinned.

"Definitely." She agreed. She headed for the front door and paused for a moment. On a small table near the house entrance was a table with pictures, most of them being of her and her family. But one picture made Rachel stop. She reached out and picked it up, slowly and just stared at it. The picture was a picture of both Rachel and Finn, smiling as if that moment was the best moment they both had lived. Rachel's hair was straightened and draped over her shoulders, her make-up was beautiful, dark, probably the most eye make-up she had ever worn (as Rachel wasn't a fan of heavy make up). Her dress was short, dark, and sleeveless. In other words, it was her prom picture. _**Their **_prom picture.

Rachel just stood there, staring at the picture, until her cell phone's vibrations brought her back to present time. She put the picture back in its place and walked out the front door, pulling out her cell phone and checking to see whom the text had come from.

_Finn: u hear what kurt's doin 2nite?_

_Rachel: No. He texted me saying to come back over to his place to get his opinion on something, so I'm heading that way now. Why? Should I be scared?_

_Finn: very._

Rachel sighed and closed her phone, got in her car, and started it up. Thank goodness her house wasn't that far from Kurt's; he was probably wondering where the hell she was.

In only a matter of five minutes, Rachel was parked in Kurt's driveway and walking up the walkway. She opened the door (she would rebuke Kurt later for leaving the door unlocked in the first place) and walked inside, instantly greeted and rushed to the living room by Kurt.

"You won't believe who's staying here with you." Kurt began excitedly. Rachel sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I swear, if you say Finn…"

"No! I know better then that, Rachel. Besides, he's staying with his mom…and my dad." Kurt seemed offended as he shook his head. "He just came in last night…" They arrived in the living room and Rachel saw the blond boy sitting on the couch, leaning forward and facing them with a crooked smile on his face.

"Hi, Rachel." He said.

"Sam!" Rachel exclaimed. Of all her fellow glee clubbers, Sam had been the one she would talk to the least. It was nice to see him again.

"I can't believe you couldn't guess that yourself, Rachel." Kurt sighed. "I told you yesterday Sam was getting in last night."

"I forgot." Rachel defended herself.

"It's alright. At least she recognized me." Sam interjected.

"Of course I would remember you." Rachel said, offended. "I have one of the best memories in the world."

"So good you forget what someone else tells you the night before." Kurt chimed in. Sam chuckled as Rachel slapped him playfully across the arm.

"How has New York been, Rachel?"

"Good. And California, Sam?" Rachel asked.

"Awesome." He answered with a smile.

"Sam will be staying in the other guest room, as I know both of you would disapprove sharing the same room." Kurt jumped in, glancing at them both.

"I'm not even going to say anything." Rachel sighed, shaking her head.

"For once." Kurt muttered. Rachel turned away and faced Sam again.

"So, Sam, will it be awkward for you, seeing Quinn with Puck…?" Rachel asked, but Sam was already shaking his head.

"Nah. Puck and I are friends, and Quinn and I were over years ago. I always knew her heart would belong to Puck. He fathered her baby, for crying out loud! We're all cool, and I don't think it'll be awkward." Sam paused. "Besides, I've dated several other girls since Quinn. I've got a girlfriend right now."

"Really?" Kurt exclaimed. "How could you not have told me?"

"You didn't need to know." Sam mumbled.

"Who?" Rachel asked, finding herself intrigued as well. "Do we know her?"

"Yes." Sam answered after a moment of silence. "And you'll see who. She's busy right now, but she'll be flying in sometime next week."

"I can't wait!" Kurt squealed, sounding just like a little kid on Christmas.

"She'll be staying with you, right?"

"Of course." Sam replied. "She is my girlfriend, after all."

"Oh, this is so fantastic! To celebrate Rachel and Sam's arrival, I have already decided to throw a party tonight at the karaoke bar downtown!"

"Kroaky's?" Rachel asked, clarifying. Was this what Finn was warning her about? It didn't seem that bad so far…

"Of course. I've already invited all our fellow glee clubbers, except Santana and Mike, since they aren't with us, and we'll be meeting up there. It'll be so much fun! And Rachel, since I assume you won't drink, you're designated driver." Kurt smiled.

"What's the catch?" Rachel asked.

"No catch." Kurt promised. "You're just gonna be in charge of a bunch of drunk people." Rachel sighed.

"It always comes down to me on these sorts of things." Rachel complained. "What if I told you I wasn't going?"

"You have to. You and Sam are the reasons for this party. The center of attention, which I know you like being, Rachel. So you will have to go." Kurt explained. Rachel sighed.

"If I'm going, then you definitely can." Sam chimed in.

"Alright."

"Oh, I invited Finn, I hope you don't mind. Even though what he did to you was cruel and very out-of-character, he's still our friend and a gleek like us. He deserves to be there just as much as you, Rachel." Kurt said quickly.

"Of course he does." Rachel agreed. Kurt's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to say something, but Rachel continued. "It just doesn't mean I'll like it."

"But you're able to put up with him, right?" Sam asked.

"Yes. I just sometimes get…upset." Rachel shifted uncomfortably, remembering the kiss earlier. "He's very intent on keeping in touch; he seems to have been stalking me while I've been here."

"Then he probably just misses you." Sam answered. "I can see Finn being like that with you. It makes perfect sense, too."

"I guess." Rachel agreed. There were three loud taps on the front door, interrupting their conversation. Kurt rolled his eyes.

"Who could that-?" He began, irritated.

"Knock, knock!" A familiar voice rang from the entrance. Kurt's hand flew to his mouth, all traces of exasperation disappearing in that moment.

"No…way…" He whispered. Making his way to the living room was Blaine. He was carrying at least five different bags, yet managing them all perfectly well.

"Is it possible to receive a little help here? I understand you're all in shock by my amazing, out-of-the-blue return, but some help would really be greatly appreciated…" He flashed Kurt a grin.

"You told me you weren't coming home for the summer!" Kurt cried, rushing over to his side and taking two of the bags. Sam and Rachel exchanged a glance. Here was just a sample of how fast new news was old news. With Blaine coming home, Sam and Rachel's arrivals seemed like something learned weeks ago.

"The invention of lying is quite helpful in cases like these." Blaine replied with a smile. "I wanted to surprise you."

"You certainly accomplished that." Kurt muttered. "Either way, I'm so happy you're back! How was your trip?"

"Excellent. I'll have to take you with me next time." Blaine replied with a wink. Sam cleared his throat behind them and it took all of Rachel's willpower not to giggle at the look on Kurt's face as he turned back to them.

"Oh, yes, Blaine…Sam and Rachel will be staying with me. They came down for the summer. Sam is staying longer then Rachel, but at least she's here." Kurt explained in a bothered voice, clearly annoyed with Sam's interruption.

"Exactly." Blaine smiled. "Nice to see you again, Rachel. I believe it's been a year?"

"And a half." Kurt added. Rachel forced a smile on her face.

"It's nice to see you again, too, Blaine." Rachel replied sweetly.

"Oh! Blaine!" Kurt exclaimed. "You will be joining us tonight, right? I'm throwing a party down at Kroaky's to celebrate Rachel and Sam's arrivals, but since you're here now, you can be another guest of honor."

"I wouldn't miss it." Blaine smiled. "Especially at Kroaky's. Anything to see you drunk."

"Now, you know you'll be drunk, too." Kurt teased.

"Of course. Just give me time to unpack." Blaine paused and cast a glance in Rachel's direction. "She's designated driver, isn't she?"

"Definitely. Her and Tina." Kurt laughed.

"Tina?" Rachel echoed.

"Not everyone can fit in my car. Those who can't will be catching a ride with Tina, therefore making her another designated driver." Kurt explained.

"Who am I in charge of?" Rachel asked suspiciously.

"Oh, no one important…"

"Kurt…"

"Me, Sam, Blaine, Puck, Quinn, and Finn…"

"Of course you put me in charge of Finn. What is this, some sort of practical joke?" Rachel asked, her hands balling into fists. She didn't know where this sudden burst of energy had come from, but she was already fed up with Kurt's shenanigans.

"No…"

"What are you hoping to gain here, Kurt? A revival of what we had a year and a half ago?"

"No, it just worked out that way. It's very convenient to pick up Finn since he lives only five minutes away, while Tina lives twenty minutes from him. I was just being considerate, and frankly, I don't care if you like it or not, Rachel. Sometimes you have to deal with things you don't like." Kurt glared in her direction. "If you didn't want to put up with Finn, you shouldn't have come down to visit in the first place. I'll put it like that."

"Uh, guys…" Sam cleared his throat, standing up and stepping in between the two of them. "Let's calm down. Rachel, I know break-ups can be hard, and seeing Finn all the time again might be a bit…disorienting…" Rachel snorted and looked in a different direction. "But Kurt's right; you gotta be strong."

"You sure didn't seem to be pushing him away when he came over yesterday afternoon." Kurt chimed in.

"That's because nothing happened then." Rachel mumbled.

"Happened?" Blaine repeated from the hallway. They turned towards his direction, Rachel glaring at him for eavesdropping. "Uh, yeah…I'll just go…unpack now…" He walked off into Kurt's room, and Kurt turned back to Rachel, raising an eyebrow and watching as Rachel sighed and shook her head.

"Nothing. I'll be the designated driver." Rachel mumbled. "And I'll be in charge of Finn."

-glee!-

"Hey, Rach." She spun around and saw Finn standing in front of her, hands shoved in pockets and a crooked smile plastered on his face.

"Hi, Finn." She said softly. "You're here a little early." She commented.

"Didn't want to be late." He replied with a shrug of his shoulders. She gave a small smile and shifted uncomfortably, glancing behind her in hopes of finding Kurt or Blaine or even Sam, but they were nowhere to be found.

"I have to tell you something." Finn said abruptly. Rachel cocked her head to the side in confusion and watched as Finn stepped back a few feet. "It's about our break up." Rachel sucked in a deep breath before turning away and starting in a different direction.

"I don't want to talk about it." She said over her shoulder. Finn remained in his place, watching her walk away before determination lit up in his heart like a flame. The sooner he explained his actions, the sooner they could get back together.

"But I do." He called after her, jogging past her and grabbing her by the shoulders so she came to a stop. "I've been wanting to tell you this since the moment you walked through the door to my apartment. You can't keep me away any longer."

"I'm not emotionally ready to handle this, Finn." Rachel pleaded, trying to free herself from his grip.

"You're Rachel Berry; you can handle anything." Finn reassured her. He sighed and stood up straighter. "It wasn't me that initiated that whole make-out thing…"

"But you certainly went along with it." Rachel muttered under her breath, glancing in a different direction.

"Stay quiet for just this minute, Rachel." Finn pleaded with a frown. "Linda had come down to visit with Sam, because…well, they were together. Sam had gone out to go get this cool new game for the Xbox, and she forced herself on top of me. That's when you came in…"

"So you cheated on me with Sam's girlfriend."

"No! I guess…sort of. But I didn't want to. I tried to get her to stop…"

"It didn't look like that from where I was standing."

"Who was on top, Rachel? Because if it was me, then yeah, I really was enjoying myself. But as far as I remember, and I'm sure you do, too, I wasn't. It was just her. How come you won't believe me but I had no problem convincing Sam that this is what happened?"

"Because you didn't hurt Sam the way you hurt me." Rachel glared at him. "And for all I know, you could be making this all up to seem like a better individual around me. You've taken my trust in you and destroyed it."

"You want proof? Just ask Sam, then. Since you don't trust me, maybe you'll trust Sam instead." Finn balled his hands into fists and shot a glare in Rachel's direction before storming off to the other side of the room. Rachel blinked and closed her eyes, shaking her head. That had been one of the first times in a very long time that Rachel had seen Finn so…angry. She sighed and spun around as Kurt began to clap his hands.

"Alright, everyone. It is time for our departure." He announced before glancing around the room. "Where are Puck and Quinn?"

"Fashionably late." Blaine replied, shrugging his shoulders. Kurt sighed and tossed Rachel the keys.

"My guess is you'll want to be driving." Kurt announced. Rachel glanced in Finn's direction before nodding her head.

"You guessed correctly." She mumbled, watching as Sam made his away out into the living room. The tiniest feeling of curiousity probed her mind as she watched Sam make his way over to Finn. Watching the two interact with one another like nothing had ever happened surprised Rachel. If Finn had been telling the truth, wouldn't Sam be a little less lenient about the situation they were once in?

"We're here!" Quinn cried from the entrance.

"After several minutes of making out, the last two awaited guests finally arrive." Sam muttered. Quinn glared at him and shoved him playfully, but blushed and didn't dare deny anything. Puck came in next, giving Sam a high five and waving at Rachel. Smiling, she skipped over to Puck's side and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. She could feel Finn's eyes on her back as she hugged him, and she knew Puck was a touchy subject for Finn (especially since Rachel had told him she had been making out with him that one time when they were in high school), but Rachel had missed Puck and considered him like a brother to her.

"Hey, there Rachel." Puck mumbled as she pulled away.

"Hi, Noah." She replied sweetly. Then she grinned and jingled the car keys, suddenly feeling a lot better. "Let's go!" She exclaimed, and watched as everyone cried in agreement and filed out the door.

-glee!-

Kroaky's was full. Tina's group (consisting of Artie, Brittany, and Mercedes) had arrived a few minutes before Rachel's, but once they were there, everyone mingled with everyone, exchanging hugs and excited laughs. Out of the corner of her eye, Rachel saw both Finn and Puck make a beeline for the bar. She sighed, knowing that they, by far, would be the drunkest ones. And they were both in her group.

"By the way, Rachel!" Quinn called from the other side of the room, loud enough to be heard over the loud chatter and very off-key singer. "You can drop me off at Puck's house!" Rachel gave her a thumbs up so she knew she had heard her. Rachel glanced at the singer on the little platform again. The poor karaoke volunteer was obviously drunk and singing very off-key. Her cheeks were burning with embarrassment for the singer. The man singing looked about forty, with a receding hairline and distended stomach, Rachel knew he had to be single. He wasn't very attractive, and his body language made her assume (wrongfully, of course) that he was a jerk. He was singing 'Octopus's Garden' by The Beatles, one of Rachel's least favorite songs. She respected the Beatles and their music (though, if given the choice, she wouldn't listen to it), but that song was, in her opinion, their worst.

Suddenly feeling very bored and out of place watching her other friends socializing (and drinking), she glanced around to see Sam sitting alone at the bar. He didn't have a drink, and was sitting there alone, obviously texting someone else. She grinned and made her way over to his side, curiousity once again probing her mind as she thought of Finn's earlier explanation.

"Who are you texting?" Rachel asked innocently, trying to catch a peek over his shoulder. He instantly closed his phone and smiled back at her.

"My girlfriend." He replied, a grin spreading across his face.

"Did you drink anything yet?" Rachel asked.

"Not yet." Sam paused, noticing Rachel's look of relief. "'Yet' being the key word. I'm definitely going to drink, I just haven't felt the urge to yet." Rachel sighed.

"I should've guessed." She mumbled.

"You and Tina will probably be the only two who won't drink." Then he chuckled. "I just think it's funny that you got stuck with the most people, and on top of that, you got the ones who can get insane once they come in contact with alcohol."

"It's not funny for me." Rachel protested. "I don't like watching drunk people. They can say some really cruel things, and sometimes get a bit too…"

"Wild?" Sam finished, waggling his eyebrows.

"Yes." She mumbled, glancing at her feet, her cheeks flushing red.

Sam chuckled. "You won't have to worry about me. I won't drink that much. I'll probably drink maybe one or two drinks…maybe three…if I do end up drunk, it won't be as bad as…hm…Finn or Puck, per say." He reassured her. "I think Puck's had three drinks, and Finn has had around five. You can tell that they're drunk." Rachel followed his gaze to the opposite side of the bar where she saw Puck and Finn both laughing at nothing in particular. She sighed.

"If one of them serenades you, how bad would you react?" Sam asked.

"How would _**you **_react?" Rachel countered.

"I don't play for that team." Sam frowned as Rachel laughed. "So I'd be pretty freaked."

"I would be embarrassed." Rachel admitted. "As much as I love the attention, I know that they would sound terrible, and I don't like having terrible people associated with me."

"Nice." Sam nodded his head, watching as Quinn made her way over to Puck. He loosely draped his arm over her shoulder and pressed his lips to her. Rachel's nose scrunched up in disgust as in the next moment, they were making out. She could see their tongues snaking in and out of each other' mouths until Puck pushed her against a wall and reached up her shirt…

"Gross." Rachel hissed, turning away.

"What? Did Finn not publicly make out with you like that?" Sam asked. "My girlfriend and I would do it all the time. She doesn't mind at all." Her cheeks turned red.

"No…he would…" Rachel mumbled. Sam's eyes widened before he, too, turned away.

"Okay, now it's gross." He closed his eyes. "Rachel, go stop them before they make it all the way around the bases." Rachel scrunched up her face in distaste before she made her way in their direction, stepping in between Puck and Quinn and shoving them apart.

"Keep it clean." She ordered. She felt someone's hand grab her arm, and without warning, found herself pressed against Finn's body. She let out a huff of annoyance; the last thing she needed was to be held captive by a very drunk Finn.

"You just miss getting kissed like that." He slurred, hugging her tighter against his body. She struggled to free herself, but alas, Finn was too strong. She sighed and glanced in Sam's direction, who was laughing at them. She glared at him and flipped him off before once again returning her attention to her current situation.

"Please let me go, Finn." She begged.

"I'm never gonna let you go." Finn mumbled incoherently. "You didn't come back last time I did." She sighed and nearly jumped as she felt his hand begin to reach up her shirt. Finally finding the perfect opportunity, she pushed herself away and walked back towards Sam.

"Rachel and Finn, sitting in a tree!" Puck taunted behind her. "F-u-c-k-i-n-g! First comes the bed, then comes the sex, next comes the baby in a baby carriage!" The rest of them were hollering after her and laughing harder then she had ever heard them laugh before.

"Ha, that was actually pretty good." Sam admitted, giving Puck a thumbs up before turning back to Rachel. "So he started to feel you up, huh?" Her face turned red as she nodded her head.

"Yeah." She mumbled.

"That's good shit right there." Sam laughed. Rachel studied Sam for a moment, crossing her arms before she sighed.

"Sam, can I ask you something?" Rachel asked after a moment.

"Sure." He turned back to the bartender and requested a cup of beer before turning back to Rachel. "I've realized now that I need a drink or two."

"It's about an ex-girlfriend you may have had…"

"Shoot."

"Her name was Linda." Rachel watched as Sam frowned in disgust.

"Oh, yeah. I remember Linda. She was a bitch. Cheated on me several times, but I was too stupid to notice. Well, I guess I could smell the cologne of other guys on her when I kissed her but…" He paused. "How did you know about Linda?"

"I was talking to Finn." Not entirely a lie, but it wasn't the entire truth either.

"Yep. She was making out with Finn when I had gotten back. I was visiting and thought I could bring Linda, and I went out to do something…I think I got a video game or something. Yeah! That was it. Anyways, I get back, and there she is, making out with Finn. I dumped her and kicked her out. I didn't even let her pack her crap up." He ended proudly.

"How did you believe Finn when he told you what happened?" Rachel asked quietly.

"'Cause Linda was on top, and Finn looked scared shitless. Plus, you know Finn. You guys may be broken up, but you know just how honest he can be."

"Yeah." Rachel agreed quietly.

"Funny thing is, it happened right around the time you two broke up." Sam smiled and took a sip from his beer. "Let the drinking begin!" He exclaimed. Rachel laughed and cast a glance in Finn's direction. He was, once again, laughing at nothing in particular. She smiled. Now that Sam had confirmed what Finn had told Rachel earlier, she was beginning to find herself trusting him again. Maybe now that her trust in him was returning, they could become closer. And Rachel's vacation wouldn't be spent avoiding him. Which, she now had to admit, wouldn't be so bad. In fact, it would be nice.

**So, did you like it? Love it? Was it worth the wait? Why don't you tell me in your amazing reviews? You're double update will be posted sometime next week! And if you want another double update, I need at least 145 reviews. A bit of a challenge, but if I can go from 62 to over 100 reviews for one update, I think I can get to 145. Besides, I don't need 145 updates now…I just meant in general. Though, if I do reach 145 reviews with this chapter alone, I may consider a triple update… something to think about, my dear readers! By the end of this story, I hope to have at least 200 reviews. So, please help me accomplish my goals and reviews! It would mean so much to me! **


	9. Chapter 7: Magic

**Hello, readers! I am so sorry it has taken me so long to update! But, as promised, I have given you a double update! In order to keep an element of surprise, Chapter 8 will be posted later today so the events that occur in this chapter have time to settle in. I hope you enjoy it; I worked very hard to perfect this chapter. Remember that sneak peek I posted a while ago? It is used in this chapter! So be prepared for a lot of Finchel happening in all the right places! One more thing before I leave you all to enjoy the long-awaited Chapter 7: in my honor, a very close friend of mine has made a Facebook fanpage for me. It is entitled 'Finntastic17- Fanfiction'. If you have a Facebook, I would appreciate it very much if you 'liked' my fanpage. You will be able to get exclusive updates, spoilers, and it helps my publicity. It also tells me just how many readers are waiting to read my updates! One last thing: thank you so much for all your helpful reviews! I can't believe I'm almost halfway to my goal of 200 reviews! You all are so helpful! By the way, this chapter is written to the song 'Magic' by Colbie Callait. **

The party went on forever. Just about everyone was drunk; although Quinn, Mercedes, and Sam had been drinking, they weren't drunk; they were the most sober ones there, besides Tina and Rachel, of course…Finn's drinking peaked at around eleven that night, and by midnight, he had had fifteen drinks, and was still going for more. He was definitely the drunkest of them all, Puck following close behind with eleven drinks. Brittany was in third, with eight shots of tequila, and Kurt and Blaine were somewhere around there. And no one really knew how many drinks Artie had. Somewhere around where Kurt and Blaine were, Rachel guessed.

The whole night was spent lecturing the drunken people on what not to do, only to receive a rude reply or some sort of attempt to feel her up (only Finn would reply like that). At one point, Kurt and Blaine sang a duet (very off key) from the musical 'A Chorus Line' and received a standing ovation from her drunken friends.

Another time that night, to keep Rachel from becoming too bossy, Puck attempted to trap her outside when she went to grab her cell phone from the car, but being drunk limited his thinking process, making him forget that if he left the door unattended, Rachel could make it back into the building. At another point, when she was yelling at Artie for repeatedly ramming himself into the wall with his wheelchair, Finn and Puck each grabbed her by one of her wrists and pinned her against the wall. She could smell the alcohol stench on their breaths as they both attempted to tell Rachel 'just how hot she was' at the same time. Quinn, still sober, noticed this and pulled Puck away, and Rachel didn't know where they disappeared to after that. But no one cared to save her from Finn, who was suffocating her with his grasp. She would make sure to kill Kurt later for leaving her in charge of Finn.

One thing that annoyed Rachel about the party was not only just how much disrespectful attention she was getting, it was how she was the only one getting harassed. Everyone left Tina alone to text or listen to music as she pleased, but Rachel was constantly getting dragged around the room or pinned against a wall.

The most embarrassing event that took place that night happened at around one in the morning, when Rachel began attempting to herd her group of people to Kurt's car. All of the guys (Sam, Puck, Artie, and Finn) decided to go running around the downtown area…shirtless. And who was grabbed by the wrist and dragged through the entire town as they ran around screaming like idiots? None other then Rachel, of course. They were far worse behaved then Seth. But it didn't surprise Rachel at all.

The returned to Kroaky's at around one forty-five. Rachel was beyond exhausted and had reached her limit with the guys of her group. But just like Seth, Rachel needed to take a calmer approach to things if she wanted to accomplish anything. After several moments of contemplating, she came up with a solution. She would just treat them the same way she would treat Seth.

Rachel did her best to once again herd them all into a group, succeeding after agreeing to let Finn hold her hand if he came. She announced that it was very late and they all needed to return to their homes. After several complaints and muttered ideas on how to retrap Rachel were exchanged, she finally convinced them that it was time to go. Only one problem: Brittany was missing.

"I swear…" Rachel muttered under her breath. Finn was still clasping tightly to her hand and followed her around the bar like a lost puppy until Rachel found her passed out in the far corner near the restrooms. After convincing Finn that she would give him a 'special reward' if he helped her carry Brittany back to the group, they were ready to leave.

Rachel grabbed the car keys and shoved everyone into their places. Kurt and Blaine both complained that they had lost their wallets, but Rachel knew that it was a trick and they were just going to go back inside to buy more drinks. She assured them that their wallets were fine and closed the door only to realize that Puck and Quinn had once again disappeared. She groaned and noticed that Finn was still holding her hand. He had been unusually quiet in the last few moments, so she turned behind her to make sure he was okay. He looked sick. She sighed.

"Are you feeling alright, Finn?" She asked sweetly.

"No." He groaned. Rachel sighed.

"I'll get you home soon." She promised, standing on her tiptoes to scan around for Puck and Quinn, finally finding them by Tina's car. She led Finn over to the car and herded them back to her car and locked them in, finally driving away at two fifteen. She was exhausted, no doubt, and fed up with her friends and would never live them down for this night. But she was glad it was finally over.

-glee!-

After dropping Puck and Quinn off at Puck's house, Rachel assumed that her next stop would be Finn's house and the rest of them would return to Kurt's. But Finn looked really bad. He seemed awfully dazed and his face seemed to turn a light shade of green. A feeling of worry creeped into her chest as she examined him.

"Are you feeling okay, Finn?" She asked softly, not wanting to awaken the others who had miraculously fallen asleep.

"No." He mumbled incoherently. "Hangover."

"Is it bad?"

"Worst one I've ever had." He replied, leaning back in his seat. "I feel really sick, and I'm gonna end up puking my guts out when I get home, and I have this really bad pounding headache. Like…a migraine or something." Finn sighed.

"I'm sorry." Rachel said sympathetically. "But it's your fault. You had seventeen drinks. That's really unhealthy, Finn."

"I did?" He questioned, frowning. "Last night was all a blur. I remember holding your hand…"

"I was fed up with you, so I just agreed to." Rachel defended herself quickly.

"I guess I drank so much because I was depressed."

"About what?" Rachel asked, cocking her head to the side.

"You." He mumbled. Rachel's grip on the steering wheel tightened and she fixated her eyes on the road. Her mind had been made up; there was no way Rachel was leaving Finn alone in his condition. And she owed him for not believing in his explanation. He had regained her trust, and she felt she should reward him for that.

"I'll take care of you today." Rachel whispered. "Just let me drop Kurt, Blaine, and Sam off at home." Finn turned to face Rachel, a shocked expression on his face. The last thing he ever expected Rachel to offer right now was to take care of him.

"Am I, like, getting Punk'd now or something?" He asked, raising an eyebrow, wincing as a sudden wave of nausea hit him.

"No, Finn." Rachel replied softly. "I just felt it would be nice. And your mom won't be home for a while yet, correct? And isn't Burt on some business trip?"

"Well, yeah, but…"

"I'm not going to leave you alone in your condition and that's final." Rachel decided firmly. Finn sighed in defeat, a coy smile threatening the corners of his lips.

"Okay…just hurry…I'm beginning to feel really sick…" He moaned. Rachel's grip on the steering wheel tightened; if there was one thing Rachel hated more then anything, it was dealing with sick people. She edged her foot forward on the gas pedal a little more and felt a wave of relief as she felt the car speed up just a little.

-glee!-

After bringing Kurt, Blaine, and Sam back home, Rachel drove off to Finn's house. The car was filled with an awkward silence, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't come up with anything to say to him.

They reached his house in less then five minutes. Finn, obviously still feeling nauseous, just groaned and leaned back in his seat, gripping onto the armrests tightly.

"We're home, Finn." Rachel whispered. He groaned.

"If I move at all, I'll end up puking." He complained. She rolled her eyes.

"I understand you feel bad, but you're probably just overreacting. You are not staying in this car, Finn Hudson, at three in the morning." She lectured. Finn turned toward her, the smallest smile creeping onto his face.

"You said the same time to me the last time we went to one of Kurt's parties. Remember?" He pressed. Her cheeks turned red and she shifted uncomfortably.

"The last time we went to one of Kurt's parties…" She shook her head, blushing. He chuckled.

"You know what ended up happening in that car? I know you remember."

"No!" She shook her head, growing more embarrassed by the moment. He laughed.

"Don't make me say it out loud…" He was enjoying this very much. Rachel looked so hot right now, and he was glad to finally have something distracting him from the nausea.

"Don't you dare, Finn!" Rachel squealed, watching as he leaned forward, edging towards her with one swift movement.

"You and I did some pretty…naughty things in that back seat." He continued. She giggled, shaking her head, feeling everything just collapse on her right then and there.

"Stop it, Finn." She said softly, gazing into his eyes, only inches away from her own face. She turned away. "I'll come around and help you out." She decided, opening her door and walking around, opening his door. He gazed up at her, confusion coloring his face.

"Did you grow at all? 'Cause you seem just a little bit taller." He said, slowly standing up and leaning against the car.

"I grew half an inch." Rachel stated proudly. "I've five foot two and a _**half **_now." She said, emphasizing the word 'half'.

"Wow, half an inch…that's really something." He mumbled, smiling slightly. She glared at him and playfully slapped his arm.

"You don't need to mock me. I'm very proud of my increasing height, and half an inch is just a start." She grabbed his arm and put it around her shoulder, feeling like she would melt at having his arm around her. And Finn…he was shocked beyond words at Rachel's actions. Was she flirting with him?

They walked up the walkway slowly, Rachel not wanting Finn to throw up all over her outfit, but Finn wanting this moment to last more then anything.

"Do you have a key?" Rachel asked.

"What if I don't?" Finn asked. He waggled his eyebrows. "Would we go back to the car?" Her cheeks turned red again and she shook her head.

"No, we'd sit out here until your mom came home." She countered. "And I'm only here to take care of you. So, if you're feeling alright…"

"No! I'm sick, I'm sick." He said quickly. She laughed and wrapped her arm around his waist.

"You have a hangover, stupid." She mumbled, using her other hand to fumble through his jean pockets until she finally found the house keys.

"Right. Hangover." He mumbled, a numb feeling entering his body as Rachel flashed him a smile, jingling the keys in front of his face.

"You liar."

"I didn't say I didn't have them." He objected. She rolled her eyes and unlocked the door to the house, opening the door and dropping her arm as she walked inside. She frowned.

"Where's the light switch, Finn?" She whispered. "It's too dark in here." Her hand flew to the wall in search of the light switch.

"Um…" His voice trailed off. A dark room…all alone with Rachel…could his life get any better?

"Shit." She cursed, tripping and finding herself frozen as she fell into Finn's arms. The light turned on in the next moment. She glanced up at Finn, who had one hand on the light switch, the other wrapped around her waist.

"I found the light switch." He mumbled. "You okay?" She stood back up, regaining her balance and smiling.

"Of course. I just tripped over my own feet, I guess." She turned away from him, walking further into the house. "Is there anything for you that counteracts your hangovers?"

"Uh…" He cocked his head to the side. "No." She sighed.

"Okay, then. Just go lay down on your bed. I'll be there in a minute." Finn stared after her as she walked into the kitchen. Was it just him, or did that sound a little dirtier then she probably intended it to? But he obeyed and headed off to his room. Rachel smiled coyly and instead darted off to the bathroom, glancing in the mirror. Her make-up still looked good. She still looked very pretty. She smiled and headed to Finn's room. She leaned against the doorframe, crossing her arms.

"Is there anything I can get you?" She asked softly, taking a seat right next to him on his bed.

"I'm cold." He complained, shivering uncontrollably. She frowned before a smile lit up her face. She leaned across his lap, smiling up at him.

"Better?" She asked, a hint of a laugh in her voice. Okay, she was definitely flirting with him now. Did she end up drinking anything at the party?

"Uh…yeah." He gently took one of his hands out of his pocket and placed it on her leg. She flinched slightly, but closed her eyes and let a small moan escape her lips. She shifted into a more comfortable position, keeping her eyes closed.

"Rachel?" Finn ventured.

"Mhm-hm?" She mumbled, too exhausted to talk in complete sentences.

"Why are you acting like this around me?" He asked after a short pause. "You didn't like me very much, last time I checked."

Rachel opened her eyes and sat up a little, smiling slightly. "I trust you now." She replied simply. Finn cocked his head to the side and she giggled. "I talked to Sam." She explained.

"Oh." Finn glanced around the room nervously. "So…we're cool now?"

"Yes." She whispered. "I'm sorry for not believing you."

"It's okay." He reassured her, rubbing her leg gently. She grinned, and silence filled the room. She turned around and got off the bed, picking up a camera she found on his desk. She pressed the view button, and the first picture was one he had taken himself. The same one she had as her Facebook profile picture (she hadn't been on in years). He was smiling at the camera while Rachel was smiling and kissing him on the cheek. She showed him the picture and sat back down on the bed.

"That's still my Facebook picture." Rachel informed him.

"I know." He mumbled. "It was the last picture I've taken with this camera." He went to grab it from her hands, but she pulled it away, falling back onto the bed laughing. Finn smiled coyly and leaned over her, finally snatching the camera from her hands. The silence returned as they stared into each other's eyes.

"Can I kiss you?" Finn asked in an unusually soft voice. Her eyes searched his perfect face before she sat up and pressed her lips to his in reply.

-glee!-

Their kisses became more heated as time went on. Tongues touch tongues, snaking in and out of each other's mouths. _My God_, Rachel thought. _This is what a kiss should feel like! _To think that this past year had spent without kissing anyone, and she could still kiss the way she used to. The way _**they **_used to.

Finn's hands gently guided down her back. Rachel let out a moan of protest, but it was weak; she didn't care. Their bodies moved in rhythm with their heartbeats, a perfect timekeeper. She could hear his heart beating softly from his chest, but the sound of her own blood pounding in her ears became more noticeable. She knew where this was going. And her thoughts were confirmed as he gently pulled her shirt over her head. But no matter how much Rachel wanted to, she couldn't resist. She had spent a year without Finn, and now she was kissing him again. And they were only moments away from professing their love to each other. A love that she knew would never go away.

-glee!-

Four in the morning, and Finn was fast asleep, his arm draped over Rachel's body as if he never wanted to let her go. Rachel was exhausted herself, but was wide-awake after her…intimate interactions with Finn. It had felt so nice to be able to be this close once more to Finn. Her heart was beating faster then usual as her thoughts returned to the actions that had taken place in less then an hour ago. It was all a tangle of limbs and lips and clothes…unbuttoning and unzipping. She smiled as she pulled the covers farther over her bare body, making sure not to disturb Finn. She loved the way his arm felt over her waist; he seemed to be so protective of her, even in sleep.

Her cell phone vibrated next to her, and she carefully reached for it, checking to see a text from Priscilla.

Priscilla: a very good morning from priscilla and seth! Woke up wanting some of that 'nana bed'; guess I'll send him back 2 bed after an early morning snack!

Rachel read the text message over three times, letting out a gasp of shock. As Seth entered her thoughts, it was then Rachel realized she and Finn had failed to use protection. And last time that happened, she had ended up pregnant.

**Before you all are sent into a state of panic, Rachel is **_**not**_** pregnant. It's just a little decoy to add to the dramatic affect in this story. And we all know how Rachel overreacts about everything; this is just one of her moments…that lasts all throughout Chapter 8 and some of Chapter 9. Make sure to review and check later today for Chapter 8! And like my Facebook fanpage! Oh, and that reminds me: people have been asking who Sam's new girlfriend is. I'll give you a hint: it's either Santana or Priscilla XD. **


	10. Chapter 8: Breathe

**Hello, again! Here is the last part of your double update! Did you all enjoy Chapter 7? Was it everything you expected and more? I hope Chapter 8 is to your liking as well! I have some wonderful news! As you may or may not know, I have decided to have fifteen chapters total for this story. In Chapter 11, not only do Finn and Rachel get back together, but she also tells him about Seth. Of course, not everything can be rainbows and butterflies, and the circumstances in which she tells Finn about Seth aren't the happiest. I won't say what happens, but I'm pretty sure you won't be very happy with me. But do not fear! It isn't anything absolutely terrible, since we all know this story has to have a happy ending. But this wonderful little fanfiction doesn't end with this story; no, I have decided to make a sequel! I have an idea and a general idea of the events going to occur, all I need is your approval! Maybe once I reach the end you all will be more willing to root for the sequel…anyways, the working title is 'The Event' and will follow directly after the events that occur at the end of 'It Only Takes 5 Weeks to Fall in Love'. I hope you all will be interested! Basically, as Rachel and Finn explore their relationship with some new revelations, a life-threatening obstacle is thrown in their path and although things turn out to be okay physically, one of them is left damaged emotionally, causing their relationship to begin to fall apart. Does it sound interesting enough? I hope so! Anyways, here is Chapter 8! This chapter is written to the song 'Breathe' by Michelle Branch.**

Rachel instantly shot out of bed, grabbing her clothes (which were scattered across the floor) and began redressing as she started out of the room. She paused, glancing back at Finn's sleeping form, his arm still stretched over her side of the bed. If this wasn't proof of her remaining love for Finn, then she didn't know what could be. With her hand lingering on the doorframe, she stood for just a few moments, watching him sleep as her heart raced. She lifted her other hand from her side and blew a soft kiss in his direction before making her way towards the front door, leaving the house, and climbing in her car, driving away at a moderate speed.

The clock in Kurt's car read 6:32; she hoped that Sam, Kurt, or Blaine hadn't awoken from their much-needed sleep, or she would have some explaining to do. Her mind kept thinking of the worst-case scenario regarding her recent realization. Had it not been for Priscilla's text message, she would have never been reminded of what could happen if you acted carelessly.

She pulled into Kurt's driveway at 6:43. Quickly, she shut off the engine and grabbed the keys and darted inside the house. Everything was dark and far too quiet for anyone to be awake. Rachel let out a sigh of relief before setting the keys down on one of the end tables. She headed off to her room, closing the door behind her and instantly collapsing on her bed. Rachel definitely wasn't tired; she was wide-awake. She stood up quickly and turned to her side, glancing down at her stomach. Obviously, if she were pregnant, it wouldn't show only moments after doing the deed, but Rachel could already imagine a baby bump, the morning sickness, the cravings…it was a nightmare. There was the slightest chance that she might be overreacting a bit, but Rachel knew this was all in a predictable manner.

Last time she and Finn had conceived, the first symptoms she developed were the morning sickness and food cravings. It hadn't occurred to Rachel at first, but once it dawned on her, she had rushed to the nearest supermarket in New York and bought a cheap pregnancy test, taking it as soon as she entered her apartment. After five minutes of waiting and pacing the room with her heart racing, the results came back. And it was positive. This was about two weeks after 'doing the nasty'.

So Rachel would have to do something very un-Rachel-like: wait.

-glee!-

And after a week, just as she feared, Rachel developed a minor case of the stomach flu. Or, that's what she told her friends. In reality, she believed it was morning sickness, one of the very first signs of a pregnancy. How could she have been so careless? What was she thinking at the time?

"You sure you don't need to see a doctor?" Kurt asked for the tenth time that day as Rachel brushed her teeth nonchalantly. She sighed, washed out her mouth and glared at Kurt, walking straight past him.

"They'll tell me what I already know is true." Rachel argued, making her way to the kitchen.

"Which is…?" Kurt prompted.

_You're pregnant. _"I have the stomach flu, Kurt. Nothing big; I'll get over it soon, you'll see." Rachel lied, hoping she would be able to convince herself as well. Maybe she was just overreacting just a bit…maybe she had given herself a false diagnosis. Perhaps she really did just have the stomach flu. After all, she hadn't had any food cravings lately…or any other strange indication she could link to her first pregnancy.

"Finn texted me earlier." Kurt began smoothly. Rachel's head shot up.

"He did?" She asked hopefully.

"He wants to talk to you." He paused. Rachel subconsciously began to nod her head.

"Okay…I mean, I can't." She turned away and continued toward the kitchen, grabbing herself an apple and walking back over to her bedroom.

"Rachel, can you please stop for just a moment?" Kurt asked exasperatedly behind her. "You're moving at a mile a minute making it nearly impossible to talk to you."

"The exercise could do me well." Rachel argued, not slowing down.

"Oh, yes, 'cause you've definitely gained so much weight." Rachel came to halt, spinning around with a worried look in her eyes.

"I have?" She whispered, glancing at her stomach.

"No, of course not!" Kurt exclaimed. "You're as skinny as a twig, as always. Jeez, Rachel, are you okay? You've been acting weird ever since the party. Did something happen that night?" Rachel blinked and swallowed, turning away.

"N-no." Rachel stammered. Had Finn told Kurt in that text? She didn't think he was one to kiss and tell. "What makes you think something happened?" Kurt held her gaze for a moment before letting out a sigh of disbelief.

"That's it, I give up. I don't have to try to make sense of your behavior and help you feel better. I can tell when you're lying, Rachel, and I know you are now. Figure things out on your own." Kurt turned away and started off to the living room. Rachel watched him go and unexpectedly felt the hot tears rolling down her cheeks. Why was she crying? Damn, were these the mood swings starting to kick in? Kurt slowly turned around, raising an eyebrow as Rachel hurriedly wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Okay, I know that may have been a bit harsh…but is it really worth crying over?" Kurt asked, taking a few steps in her direction. "I'm sorry, Rachel."

"It's okay." She smiled. "I-I don't even know w-why I started crying."

"You sure you're feeling alright?" Kurt asked in skeptical voice.

"Fine." Rachel mumbled, grabbing the apple. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an apple to eat."

"You just puked your guts out, in _**my **_bathroom, I might add." Kurt called after her. Rachel stopped, lowering her gaze to the floor.

"I know." She said softly, walking off to her bedroom with the apple in her hand.

-glee!-

Although Kurt insisted she needed her rest, Rachel disagreed; she needed to take her mind off all the complications in her life for at least an hour. She decided she would spend some time with her dads.

Before she left, she received a text message from Finn. She stared at her phone for what seemed like forever but was really only a couple of seconds. There were two options: view now or view later. Rachel clicked the 'view later' option and set off to her dads' house with an uneasy feeling already creeping into her stomach. Yes, it would be a _**fun **_day.

Thankfully, traffic wasn't bad and Rachel made it to her dads' in good time. Before she walked inside their house, however, she received a call from Finn. Rachel watched it ring, staring at it, unable to bring herself to open it and answer the phone. She couldn't talk to Finn, not after what had happened last week. She let the call go straight to voicemail. She would listen to his message later; she needed to relax and take her mind off of Seth, Finn, and her possible pregnancy.

Rachel pulled out her copy of the house key and opened the door, a smile spreading across her face. Although it had only been a week since she had been here, she couldn't believe that she had gone from being in this very house everyday to barely even visiting. She glanced at the pictures on the small table at the entrance, the smile slowly fading away. Sure, there were pictures of her and her dads at various locations around the nation from vacations, but there was still her prom picture. At least it didn't bother her anymore; it just reminded her of the problems in her life, and how Finn was linked to all of them.

"Hello?" She called into the house, her voice echoing. She glanced at the time on her phone; only four thirty-two. Hiram was at work and Leroy was probably driving home. Rachel decided to wait for him to return so she would at least have some quality time with him. She continued through the house until she came to her room. She came to a halt and stared at the door, her hand twitching towards the handle. Her curiousity finally got the best of her and she opened the door. A smile appeared on her face; her room looked exactly like it had when she had left.

She walked inside and took a seat on her bed, pulling out a photo album she found tossed at the edge of her bed. She opened it, grinning wider as she flipped through the pictures. As she looked closer at the pictures of her when she was little, she realized that Seth had actually inherited some of her looks. She still thought he looked too much like Finn, though.

Her cell phone began ringing again a few moments later. Rachel sighed and closed the photo album, reaching into her pocket for her cell phone. She wasn't surprised to see it was Finn yet again; Rachel silenced her phone and set it on the bed next to her. She opened her purse, grimacing at the amount of clutter she had stashed away. It had been quite a few months since she had last cleaned it out. Her heart skipped a beat as she ran across a picture; she knew what picture this was. She reached inside and pulled it out, smiling as she put it into the light. It was none other then the last ultrasound picture she had taken of Seth. Rachel grinned; maybe she was just hallucinating, but Rachel swore even there, Seth looked like Finn.

She placed the picture under her pillow, making it so half of the picture was visible. If her dads ever came in the room, they would find the picture, and then they would know they had a grandson. Rachel smiled, stood up, and smiled softly; this was how she wanted it to be. She didn't want to be keeping secrets from her dads, but she also didn't want to tell them straight out after keeping it a secret for so long.

Rachel stood in the doorway, letting her mind drift back to Finn. She pulled out her cell phone, checking her inbox and pulling up the text message he had sent her.

_Finn: we need 2 talk. Please txt or call me back._

Rachel then checked her voicemail; she wasn't in the mood to reply Finn. He had left two messages that day. In total, Finn had left eleven voicemails that past week. Rachel had listened to them all (except the two most recent) but had yet to return any of the calls. She clicked on the first message and began to listen to it.

"Hey." Finn began. "You've been avoiding me, and we really need to talk. What happened that night was something, and I know you're probably mad but…the silent treatment isn't exactly the way to handle it. 'Kay, that was it. Call me back." Rachel rolled her eyes and deleted the message, moving onto the next one.

"Look, I know you're mad and everything, or whatever. I wouldn't know since _**you haven't called me back**_. We need to talk, Rachel, and if you don't call or text or whatever soon, I'll just go to Kurt's and talk to you face to face. You can't avoid me there." There was a slight pause. "Okay, that was kind of harsh, but you get the picture. Call me back, or text, or…whatever." Rachel sighed and deleted this message as well before heading to her living room and taking a seat on the couch.

She knew what she was doing; she was pushing Finn away, just like she had when she had been pregnant with Seth. Sure, she was broken up with Finn for the majority of her nine months, but two of those months she was in a long-distance relationship with him. She never told him about the pregnancy, and hardly ever called or texted him. Rachel sighed and placed her head in her hands. She knew what they said; old habits die hard. If only this habit disappeared along with the end of her relationship.

The front door opened and Rachel's head snapped up. She stood up to greet her dad (a bit too quickly) and felt a new wave of nausea hit her. She groaned and ignored the uncomfortable feeling before making her way to the doorway.

"Hello, Daddy." She called as she rushed to the entrance (not the smartest idea, since her nausea only became more evident as she increased her speed). Leroy let out a laugh and wrapped his daughter in a tight embrace.

"Rachel! I wasn't expecting you at all. You frightened me." He grinned and pulled away. "What brings you here? You do know your father isn't going to be home till much later, right?"

"Of course." Rachel smiled. "Well, I remember now. When I first came, I forgot that you two were at work. But I knew you'd be home soon, so I stuck around just to say hello." Leroy smiled.

"You're going to leave?"

"I'll come back and visit." Rachel promised, beginning to feel more uncomfortable the longer she stood.

"Alright." Leroy sighed. "Are you able to come back tomorrow? Both Hiram and I are taking tomorrow off." Rachel smiled, unable to ignore the hopeful glint in her father's eyes.

"Definitely." Rachel agreed softly. "I'll come by tomorrow." They said their goodbyes, and Rachel made her way to the front door, pausing in front of it. "Daddy?" She called.

"Yes, Rachy?" He replied, turning back to face her.

"Do you ever go in my room?" Rachel asked hesitantly.

"Every now and then, yes. It's a nice way to reminisce." Leroy smiled. "Why?"

"No reason." Rachel smiled back, waved goodbye, and stepped outside the door. There was just one more stop she needed to make before she returned to Kurt's. As she continued down the walkway, her cell phone began ringing again. With a sigh, Rachel checked the caller ID. It was Finn. She groaned; would Finn ever get a clue? For a heartbeat, Rachel considered answering it. But as the uncomfortable feeling in her stomach returned, she was reminded as to why she was pushing Finn away. In a hurried manner, Rachel climbed in her car and set off to her next location. Her phone chimed, signaling she had yet another new voicemail. In the next moment, it began ringing again, saying she had an incoming text message from Finn. She put her phone on silent and continued to her location.

-glee!-

"So you went to the supermarket?" Kurt queried. "Hm, odd. Did you buy anything interesting?" Kurt peeked over Rachel's shoulder as she hustled through the house in hopes of catching a glimpse at the items she bought. Rachel glared at him and sped up so he wouldn't be able to see.

"Nothing for you." Rachel replied, setting down the bag of recently purchased items on her bed and made a beeline for the bathroom. Kurt followed her until he realized what was about to happen. With a frustrated groan, he left Rachel alone to do her thing, and silently prayed that this stomach flu would pass soon.

When Rachel exited the bathroom, she cast a glare in Kurt's direction. "You're not the only one who wants my stomach flu to pass. _**I'm **_the one doing all the throwing up." Rachel huffed, crossing her arms, the sickly feeling finally passing.

"Yes, but I'm the one who has to listen to it." Kurt argued. "And it isn't very pleasing to hear."

"Whatever." Rachel mumbled, making her way to her room and closing the door behind her. Besides some new clothes and food that would please her appetite, there had been one thing Rachel bought that she would rather Kurt (or anyone, for that matter) find out about. She pulled it out and inhaled sharply; it was none other then a pregnancy test. She exhaled and opened the box, reading the instructions carefully to make sure there was nothing she was missing, and made her quietly to the bathroom once more. Thankfully, Kurt and Blaine were watching reruns of 'Project Runway', so they were distracted.

Rachel closed the door behind her, closed her eyes, and took the test just the way it was instructed, letting the faint and muffled sounds of 'Project Runway' distract her. The cheapest test was one where results wouldn't be known until ten minutes after the test was taken. So Rachel sat on the tile floor and folded her knees against her chest, trembling and praying desperately that the results were negative.

These ten minutes of waiting were pure hell; the seemed like an eternity. She closed her eyes and for a brief moment, imagined herself wrapped in Finn's arms. She could hear Seth laughing in the background, and in her arms was a newborn baby. The picture looked so perfect…so perfectly _**wrong**_. She and Finn were broken up; he didn't know about Seth, and he couldn't know about him. No matter how much she wanted it, Rachel couldn't be together with Finn, and she couldn't be pregnant.

Rachel glanced at her cell phone for the time, standing up and heading over to the counter with a light feeling in her head. Her heart was racing faster then ever, and she was trembling almost uncontrollably. With a shaky hand, she reached for the test and glanced at the small screen. She held her breath as the results appeared. And then the hot tears began to course down her cheeks.

It was positive.

**Once again, I reassure you, Rachel is **_**not **_**pregnant. Yes, the results are positive, but these cheap tests do make mistakes. And because Rachel is overreacting, she has been able to convince herself that she is, in fact, pregnant. The mind is a very powerful thing; it is able to convince you of anything. In the next chapter, she visits a doctor alongside a friend (not Finn) and he tells her once and for all that she is not pregnant and tells her she had a hysterical pregnancy. So do not worry; another baby will not be thrown into the picture to complicate the Finchel relationship! Please review, my wonderful and dedicated readers! I have over 150 reviews now, which means I'm almost to my goal of at least 200 reviews! Oh, one more thing: Rachel tells Finn about Seth in Chapter 11. Just something to look forward to :P. Until my next update, review! By the way, Chapter 9 will be posted hopefully by Sunday, but I can't make any promises. I'll do my best, though. If not, expect it to come sometime next week. And please like my Facebook fanpage! It is entitled 'Finntastic17- Fanfiction', in case you have forgotten. Review and I shall give you Chapter 9!**


	11. Chapter 9: Need You Now

**Hello, again! Happy New Year! How great is this? An update to start of 2011! Aren't you all proud of me? I worked my butt of writing this chapter, and I have to say, I like the way it turned out. Chapter 2 for some reason is still my favorite update, but I loved this chapter, too. Finn does return in this chapter, and the whole pregnancy fiasco is settled once and for all in the middle of this chapter…or is it? Just joking, it is :P. Oh, and guess what? In order to update to Fanfiction, I have to separate each chapter into a separate Word Document. Today, while editing Chapter 9, I decided to copy and paste each separate document (from Chapter 1 to this current chapter) into one document, and there are over fifty pages! Wow! I never this story was _that_ long. Anyways, I am so happy about the way this story is turning out; I have so many wonderful reviews (just one bad one) and I'm getting all these wonderful emails alerting me that many have been adding me to their favorite authors, favorite stories, and story alerts. Not only that, but my Facebook fanpage has 13 likes as of yesterday evening! I feel so loved, and I have all of you to think! Thank you so much! I couldn't ask for a better group of readers! I hope you enjoy Chapter 9; I enjoyed writing it. It is written to the song 'Need You Now' by Lady Antebellum.**

Three days passed since Rachel had taken her pregnancy test. She was still upset about the results and unable to tell anyone about her suffering. That day, she stepped on the scale in Kurt's bathroom to find she had gained three pounds. She wasn't just imagining it; she really was pregnant.

Rachel remained anti-social, talking to her friends only when she needed to and ignoring Kurt's blatant requests to take her out to the mall or meet up with their fellow glee clubbers. Rachel knew what he wanted; he wanted her to talk to Finn again. But Rachel couldn't bring herself to do it. She tried so many times to text or call back, but she could never find the words to say. There were at least seven different drafts of unfinished text messages saved in her cell phone. None of them had been sent.

"You know…" Kurt began one day, leaning against the wall in front of Rachel. "I haven't heard from Finn in quite a while. How is he, Rachel?" Rachel opened her mouth to reply before closing it and glancing at her feet.

"Oh, I was just texting him." Sam spoke up. "He's fine; just giving Rachel some space. They haven't been talking lately, but I have no idea why."

"Strange…they seemed so close for a little bit…" Kurt frowned as he thought. Rachel rolled her eyes.

"I'm right here." She spoke up, irritated.

"Really? I had forgotten." Kurt turned to face her. "You've been so anti-social lately, I swear, it's like you're not even here. What's up?" Rachel opened her mouth again before closing it and shaking her head, standing up from her seat on the couch.

"You wouldn't understand." Rachel muttered as she stormed into her room. Once her door was closed, she sighed. "No one would." She said softly before taking a seat on the bed and pulling cell phone. Priscilla would know what to do in a time like this, and this would give her a chance to check up on Seth.

_Rachel: Hi._

_Priscilla: heyyyy!_

_Rachel: How r u?_

_Priscilla: couldn't be happier, and seth is fine._

_Rachel: That's nice._

_Priscilla: so what do I owe the honor of this spontaneous text?_

_Rachel: …well…_

_Priscilla: r u ok?_

_Rachel: I guess…_

_Priscilla: what happened?_

_Rachel: Kurt threw a party, and Finn ended up drunk with a really bad hangover. So, as a friend, I offered to take care of him. Maybe it was because I missed him, or I just missed the way it felt…but we, uh, had sexual interactions._

_Priscilla: 0.0_

_Rachel: Exactly. And then I started feeling weird…_

_Priscilla: oh, God, no…_

_Rachel: And I found out that I am pregnant again._

_Priscilla: shit, rachel!_

_Rachel: Yeah._

_Priscilla: hot damn! What did finn say?_

_Rachel: …I haven't talked to him since that night._

_Priscilla: uh-uh. No way. U aren't gonna do this again, rachel. _

_Rachel: ?_

_Priscilla: I watched u go through this once, u aren't going through it again. _

_Rachel: I can't tell Finn! I'll have to tell him about Seth, too!_

_Priscilla: it's about time u did. Seth needs a dad, and u and I both know it._

Rachel sighed and closed her phone, sitting with her legs crossed on her bed. She knew Priscilla was right; but there was no way Rachel could tell Finn about this _**and **_about Seth. Rachel glanced up as her door opened slightly, her eyes widening in surprise as Quinn walked in. She cast a bright smile in Rachel's direction.

"Hi, Rachel!" Quinn exclaimed cheerily, closing the door behind you. "Puck's out working today, so I thought I'd stop by and visit you."

"Cool." Rachel mumbled, putting her cell phone into the pocket of her jean shorts.

"I haven't from you in, like, forever." Quinn continued, taking a seat across from Rachel.

"I've been busy." Rachel mumbled, crossing her arms and leaning back in the bed. Quinn cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"With what?" She countered. And without any further hesitation, Rachel told Quinn everything that had happened over the past week. She listened intently, eyes wide with shock but remaining silent until Rachel was done talking. Then Quinn rolled her eyes and snorted disbelievingly.

"You're not pregnant."

"What? But I took a test and it said I was." Rachel told her confusedly.

"So did I, when I was in high school. And that crappy cheap test said I wasn't. But the symptoms just got worse, so I went to the doctor and he told me I was. We both know what happened from there." Quinn rolled her eyes. "Those cheap things can screw up, Rachel, but a doctor's diagnosis can't."

"But I've been throwing up and I gained three pounds…" Rachel's voice trailed off. Besides, the last time she had taken a test, it had been right.

"Then go see a doctor." Quinn suggested. "I'll go with you. Who knows? It could just be some sort of bug."

"I don't know…"

"Here, call right now. See if he can see you tomorrow." Quinn persisted. "Then you can find out once and for all if you're pregnant."

"But what do we tell Kurt?" Rachel asked, pulling out her cell phone and dialing the number slowly. Quinn thought for a minute before turning back to Rachel to reply.

"Puck's working again tomorrow. Tell him you're coming over to my house to help me clean up." Quinn smiled. "It's the perfect lie." Quinn waited patiently on the opposite side of Rachel's bed as she made her appointment.

"Tomorrow at three is the earliest they can see me."

"That's a shocker." Quinn said.

"Someone cancelled, so I took their spot." Rachel explained, shifting uncomfortably. "What do I tell Finn?"

"Nothing, for now. I mean, if you end up being preggo, then you'll have to tell him. But if you don't…well, it'll just be our little secret." Quinn smiled.

"You promise you won't tell anyone?" Rachel whispered.

"Of course." Quinn grinned. "You're secret's safe with me." She glanced at her cell phone before getting off the bed. "Well, I'm off. I'll see you tomorrow at three, Rachel." They said their goodbyes and then Quinn was gone. Rachel pulled out her cell phone and started a new text message to Finn.

_Rachel: Hey._

She sent the message, hoping to receive a reply. She didn't.

-glee!-

Finn was messing around on his Xbox around the time he received the text. He sighed and put his game on pause, reaching across his bed for his cell phone. He frowned; the text was from Rachel. He hadn't talked to Rachel since the night of Kurt's karaoke party. She had been avoiding his calls and texts, and although Finn was still pretty pissed that she had overreacted the way she had, he was still curious to see what the text said. He clicked the 'view now' option.

_Rachel: Hey. _

Finn frowned at his cell phone. That was it? Not 'I'm sorry'? Just 'hey'? Who the hell did Rachel think she was? She had left him in the middle of the night, and ignored his calls and texts, never once replying. Finn closed his phone and tossed to the end of his bed.

He remembered waking up that morning at around eight, and finding Rachel gone. From the looks of things, she had been gone for a while. There was no note, absolutely nothing that had been left behind to in anyway explain why she wasn't here. Groggily, Finn had sat up and reached for his cell phone, wincing at the pounding in his head. God, he felt like crap. But that didn't matter; all that had mattered to him in that single moment was Rachel, and why she had bailed on him.

Of course, Finn had never found that out. And right now, he was too pissed to talk to her. He was afraid that because of his anger issues, he would say something to Rachel he would later regret. Rachel had three weeks left in Lima; he hoped that they wouldn't remain apart for that length of time.

Finn took his game off pause, hoping to clear his mind from everything Rachel. That was nearly impossible; he decided he'd text her later.

-glee!-

Quinn came to pick Rachel up at two forty-five, giving them enough time to make it to the doctor's office. Their original plan was to leave the house by two thirty, but it took fifteen minutes to convince Kurt to stay at home. Only Kurt would jump at the opportunity to help clean up someone's house.

Of course, traffic had to be horrible, just to add to the bad luck. They ended up being five minutes late. As soon as they entered the office and signed in, one of the nurses called Rachel back. Her heart began racing and she glanced back at Quinn, who nodded her head and followed her to the room.

"Change into this." The nurse said gruffly, shoving one of those doctor gowns into Rachel's hands. Obediently, Rachel pulled the curtain and changed out of her clothes. She pulled the curtain aside and raised her eyebrows expectantly at Quinn.

"The nurse lady thinks we're together." Quinn rolled her eyes. "Even if I were playing for the other team, I'd definitely go for someone better then you."

"Isn't that nice." Rachel muttered, jumping up on the table. "I'm nervous."

"Oh, quick warning: that crap the doctor uses to look at the baby…yeah, it's really cold."

"Thanks." Rachel sighed; she knew this. There was a light tap on the door and the doctor walked in.

`"Oh my God, Dr. Wu. You still work?" Quinn exclaimed. "You're, like, ancient." Dr. Wu cast a fake smile in Quinn's direction.

"Thank you for that enlightening comment." He rolled his eyes and turned his attention to Rachel. "So you're Rachel Berry?"

"Wait, don't you want to know who I am?" Quinn interrupted. "Quinn Fabray. Do you remember me?" Dr. Wu sighed.

"How could I forget?" He muttered. Quinn smiled and leaned back in her seat.

"Yes, I'm Rachel Berry." Rachel answered before Quinn said anything else.

"Alright, lay down." He instructed. "Alright, this stuff is called KY Jelly. It'll be cold to the touch, but it will—"

"I know what it does." Rachel hissed. Dr. Wu raised an eyebrow in Rachel's direction before whistling under his breath. He squirted some of the KY Jelly onto Rachel's stomach, causing her to shift uncomfortably and grip onto the rails of the bed tightly. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"How have you been feeling?" Dr. Wu asked curiously as he picked up the wand from the sonogram machine and placed it on Rachel's stomach.

"I've gained three pounds, and I've been throwing up a lot lately." Rachel bit her lip, fighting to keep from adding 'just like my last pregnancy'. "And I took a home pregnancy test and it came out positive, but I just wanted to be sure."

"She wouldn't have gone; I had to convince her." Quinn called from her side of the room. Rachel rolled her eyes.

"It's a good thing you came; you must have been stressed." Dr. Wu guessed.

"You have no idea." Rachel breathed, sitting up slightly.

"Those tests aren't always very accurate. You aren't pregnant at all." Dr. Wu explained. Rachel's eyes widened but she couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

"But all the throwing up and weight gain…"

"It's what's called a hysterical pregnancy." Dr. Wu explained. "You either wanted a baby so bad—"

"No, I didn't." Rachel insisted.

"Then you just overstressed yourself. The mind is a very powerful thing, Rachel." Dr. Wu explained, shutting down his equipment. "It can convince you of anything. In this case, you managed to convince yourself you were pregnant. It was a hysterical pregnancy; because of the stress in your life over this baby, your body just mimicked the symptoms."

"That's a relief." Rachel sighed.

"I told you so." Quinn called from her seat. Dr. Wu cast Rachel a grin.

"You can change back into your clothing now." He instructed. Rachel nodded her head and grinned. She wasn't pregnant; life was okay now.

-glee!-

"So everyone is here?" Kurt asked.

"Everyone except Quinn, Puck, and Finn." Tina spoke up, grinning at Artie. Rachel grinned, crossing her legs as she sat on the couch. Kurt had arranged a get-together for all the glee clubbers, and because the stress of her 'pregnancy' had been removed, Rachel didn't mind participating. She sat next to Brittany and Mercedes.

"Well, we all know why Finn won't show up." Artie announced, casting a look in Rachel's direction. Rachel frowned.

"He isn't coming?" She asked.

"He just texted me." Artie told her. "He said he's busy, but everyone knows he's pissed at you." Rachel shifted uncomfortably.

"I didn't." Brittany spoke up, tipping her head to the side in confusion.

"You haven't talked to him at all since that party Kurt threw." Mercedes said, rolling her eyes. "He said you're avoiding him; no wonder he doesn't want to come."

"Why haven't you talked to him?" Tina asked, cocking her head to the side.

"We're here!" Puck announced from the doorway. He walked in with Quinn leaning on his side, limping.

"My God, girl, what did you do to yourself?" Mercedes asked.

"I stepped on my foot funny getting out of the car." Quinn replied.

"Only you would." Kurt snorted. Quinn glared at him, but nodded her head in defeat. Puck smiled and sat her down next to Brittany, kissing her softly on the forehead before standing back up.

"I have to do a little work, but I'll be back soon." He promised.

"Your name and the word 'work' don't go good together." Sam spoke up. "Unless you're talking about banging girls." Quinn cast a glare in Sam's direction as everyone began to laugh. Puck rolled his eyes.

"Nah, the only girl who gets that gift is Quinnie." He answered. Quinn's cheeks turned red, but she obviously didn't mind the attention. Rachel rolled her eyes; although she thought it was very nice of Quinn to accompany her to her appointment, she still thought Quinn could be irritating. She would do almost anything to be the center of attention; in other words, Rachel thought Quinn was spoiled. She thought everything was about her. If they were talking about something else, Quinn would find a way to turn the conversation on her. It bothered Rachel.

Puck left a few minutes after that. Quinn sighed and leaned back in the couch. "So what were we talking about?"

"Finn and Rachel and how they aren't talking." Tina answered. Quinn cast a glance in Rachel's direction, raising her eyebrows.

"You and Finn aren't talking?" Quinn asked with mock surprise ringing in her voice. Rachel gritted her teeth together and nodded her head; Quinn knew this. Why did she have to continue the conversation?"

"That's a shocker." Quinn smiled slyly. "You two seemed a little too close for comfort for a while."

"Exactly." Kurt agreed.

"So my girlfriend texted me last night saying she'll be here tomorrow." Sam spoke up. Rachel mouthed a 'thank you' in his direction, to which he replied with a small head nod.

"Oh, good!" Kurt exclaimed. "I can't wait to meet her." Sam grinned coyly.

"You might already know her." He paused. "Or, at least, some of you might."

"Can't you just tell us who she is?" Mercedes begged. Sam shook his head.

"You'll see tomorrow."

"Rachel, could you get me a glass of water?" Quinn interrupted. "My foot hurts, making it nearly impossible to walk." Rachel bit her lip.

"It hurts too much to walk ten feet to the kitchen and back?" Rachel asked scornfully.

"Yeah." Quinn lifted her chin. "I think you owe me, anyways."

"I owe you nothing." Rachel argued, crossing her arms. "You sure seemed to make it through the door just fine." The room became filled with a hushed silence as they listened to their argument.

"I had Puck's help; it really does hurt." Quinn insisted.

"Get the water yourself; I'm not your slave." Rachel retorted, flipping her hair. "You're probably just overreacting, anyways." Quinn sat up, tossing her hair behind her shoulders.

"Really?" She began. "Just like you and your pregnancy freak out? I guess I just learn from the best." Quinn shot back. Someone gasped behind them and Rachel froze as everyone began muttering amongst themselves. Quinn lifted her chin, a superior look that seemed to say 'don't mess with me' flashing in her eyes.

"You…you thought you were pregnant, Rachel?" Kurt finally said, eyes wide. "But…don't you need to have sex…with a guy…to think you're expecting a child?"

"Oh, yeah, she got that covered." Quinn jumped in, a smug look on her face. "The night of the party, Rachel went home with Finn. She slept with him." Rachel glanced at the floor, fighting hard to keep from slapping Quinn across the face. She wasn't one for violence, but Quinn was really pushing things.

"You did _**what**_?" Mercedes asked.

"Are you actually pregnant?" Brittany asked, tipping her head to one side. Rachel shook her head, glaring at Quinn.

"That would explain why they aren't talking." Artie muttered, positioning his glasses. Kurt shook his head.

"Why didn't you tell us?" He asked.

"Because RuPaul here is the queen of keeping secrets." Quinn sneered. "I wouldn't be surprised is she has more. There's probably one really bad one; maybe it's even linked to how defensive she got when we told her we were coming to New York to see her." Quinn gazed directly in Rachel's eyes. "She's hiding something."

Rachel shook her head, stood up, and stormed out the front door. She was done with Quinn. There was no way she could stand putting up with her for the rest of her time away from New York. She climbed into Kurt's car and started the engine, pulling out of the driveway and driving away. In her mind, she knew where she was going. She didn't know why, but she knew that this place was the best to go to take her mind of things.

-glee!-

Rachel didn't even bother to knock on the door; she knew it was unlocked. She twisted the doorknob and, just as she had guessed, opened the door. She stepped inside, stiffening as she heard the footsteps. And there he was; there was Finn. He froze in front of Rachel, frowning.

"Hi." Rachel whispered.

"Hey." Finn said back. "I thought I heard someone. I thought you were some crazy person, though."

"You should really lock your door." Rachel advised, taking a step towards him. He cocked his head to the side.

"Are you okay?" He asked. Rachel shook her head. He must have seen the tears forming in her eyes.

"I'm a mess right now." Rachel admitted, glancing at the floor as the tears began to fall down her cheek.

"You wanna talk about it?" Finn asked. Rachel glanced up at Finn and hesitantly nodded her head.

"Before I start, I just want to tell you how sorry I am for avoiding your calls and texts, Finn." Rachel paused. "I guess I just needed some time to figure everything out, and I know that giving you the silent treatment wasn't the wisest decision."

"Ah, it's cool." Finn smiled.

"No, it's not." Rachel insisted, taking a seat on the couch. "I feel terrible. I shouldn't have been pushing you away like that."

"Well, I was pissed at you for a bit." Finn admitted, taking a seat next to Rachel. "But I thought about it for a little bit, and I guess I realized that you need your space." Rachel shook her head and sighed.

"You know how Kurt was having everyone over at his place to hang out?" Rachel asked.

"Oh, yeah." Finn flashed her his crooked smile. "I was trying to beat Level 24 on my game, and I thought you still needed time, so I stayed here." Rachel rolled her eyes but smiled slightly.

"Quinn apparently twisted her ankle, so she decided to order me around like I was her slave." Rachel frowned. "She was just fine; I could tell. She was just too lazy to get herself water. I told her that she was just overreacting, and she told everyone about our night together."

"_**Our**_ night?" Finn clarified. Rachel cast him a glare but nodded her head. "How did she find out about that?" Finn asked.

"I told her." Rachel whispered.

"Why?"

"Because I needed someone to talk to." Rachel paused. "I thought I was pregnant." There was silence. Finn blinked; he hadn't seen that one coming. He had to admit, it wouldn't be that bad if Rachel were pregnant; they would have to get back together then. And a baby with Rachel…well, how could it get better then that?

"Are you…?" Finn began, cut off as Rachel shook her head.

"No. But Quinn told everyone about that, too." Rachel closed her eyes. "And they all ganged up on me, wanting to know why I didn't tell them. That they were my friends, too, and keeping secrets was just wrong."

"That sucks." Finn said, watching as Rachel bowed her head. He knew he should probably say something else, but he couldn't think of anything.

"And then they started coming to assumptions that I was keeping more secrets." Rachel whispered, eyes still closed. "Worse secrets."

"Are you?" Finn asked. Rachel paused, taking in a deep, shaky breath. _Now, Rachel. Tell him now. _She thought. _Tell him about Seth. _

"Any secret I'm keeping…" Rachel began slowly. "is for the better." She couldn't tell him about Seth, not now. _Coward._

"Okay." Finn said confusedly, watching Rachel as she nodded her head slowly.

"Do you think I'm a bad person, Finn?" Rachel whispered.

"What? No, of course not!" Finn exclaimed. "You're, like, the best person I know. Don't even say that, Rach." Finn paused. "So what if you keep secrets? Everyone does. Besides, I'm sure you're keeping yours for a good reason."

_You have no idea. _"Thank you, Finn." Rachel smiled at him, leaning her head on his shoulder. She missed having him comfort her like this.

"But, you know, I'm kind of curious now." Finn smiled apologetically. "Will you be able to tell me your secret? Not now, just, you know, sometime later." Rachel smiled.

"Sure. Someday." Rachel sighed. And she meant it, too.

**And that was Chapter 9! Was it a great way to start off the New Year? As promised, Rachel did not end up pregnant, and now she and Finn are close once more. After writing this chapter, I have found myself not liking Quinn's character very much…what about you? Chapter 10 will be full of exciting, romantic stories for everyone (literally; everyone is in love in the next chapter. It would have made a perfect Valentine update), and Sam's girlfriend will be introduced! I will hopefully have it up by Thursday at the latest, since school is starting for me once again (sad face). I hope everyone enjoyed! Please review! I am so close to reaching 200 reviews, it isn't even funny! And like my Facebook fanpage if you haven't already! I have been posting things about my status in writing these chapters, and very soon, I will give you all the option to read exclusive scenes! One more thing: a double update will be coming in the very near future, so look out for that…and I promise, it won't take me nearly as long as last time. Until then, review! I need 185 to post the next chapter.**


	12. Chapter 10: Love Story

**Hello, again! See? I have this chapter posted two days before I planned! I am glad you all enjoyed Chapter 9; I have gotten several reviews saying it was the best update so far. Chapter 10 was really fun to write because I got to explore the characters a little more as they each found love (yes, this includes Rachel and Finn). Before you read this chapter, I am sorry to say that Santana is Sam's girlfriend. I am very sorry to those of you who wanted Priscilla to be his girlfriend, but as I planned things out in better detail, I realized that there was no way Sam could have known her. For starters, Sam and Rachel were never that close until Chapter 6. Secondly, no one ever visited Rachel except Finn BEFORE they broke up. After they broke up, Rachel made it nearly impossible for anyone to come visit her in New York, therefore making it impossible for any of her friends to know Priscilla. As cool as it would have been to write in Priscilla as Sam's new girlfriend, it just wouldn't have worked. But I did make a compromise: Santana isn't a b***h at all in this chapter. Looks like Sam really has changed her. If only he could have done that to Quinn…Oh! That reminds me; I am also very sorry for making Quinn a b***h in the last chapter. I understand that may have offended some people who liked Quinn; it just seemed to suit her character. And I needed her to act the way she did in order for Rachel to become closer to Finn again. I think that's it; yep, that's all I can think of. I hope you enjoy Chapter 10! Next chapter is when Seth comes back (not officially, but Finn finds out about him XD)! Oh, and tonight is a rerun of the 'Glee' episode 'Audition'. I'm watching it, so you should, too! This chapter is written to the song 'Love Story' by Taylor Swift. **

When Rachel ended up returning to Kurt's house, everyone had left except for Tina, Artie, and Mercedes. Rachel didn't want to talk to them right now, but she was glad that Quinn was gone. She didn't want to put up with the ignorant blond again.

Cautiously, Rachel stepped through the front door and walked into the living room. They all glanced up from their conversation and let their gazes settle on Rachel, who was now uncomfortably standing in the hallway. Blaine had come home now, she realized. He was out at the local Wal-Mart buying things he needed.

"Look who finally decided to come back." Mercedes finally said, scowling at Rachel.

"Oh, I was wondering where Rachel was." Blaine smiled. "No wonder it seemed so quiet."

"I'm not that loud." Rachel protested, crossing her arms. "I'm sorry for leaving; Quinn was getting on my nerves."

"You can't walk away from all your problems, Rachel." Kurt pointed out, shaking his head. "Although I can understand what you mean."

"I just wanna know why you told Quinn and not us." Mercedes said.

"Told Quinn what?" Blaine asked.

"It's nothing important." Sam said, shaking his head. "I honestly didn't care; it's Rachel's life and Rachel's secrets. Let her do with them what she wants."

"Oh." Blaine paused. "But now you all got me curious." Quickly, Kurt explained everything to him before turning back to Rachel.

"I'm sorry we all ganged up on you like that." Kurt apologized. "It was rude and totally unprofessional."

"Thank you." Rachel said softly. "Apology accepted, by the way." Tina giggled and elbowed Artie, who smiled back at her.

"Maybe I'll organize another hang-out again this week." Kurt decided. "One everyone can attend." He glanced at Blaine out of the corner of his eye. "And without the drama."

"That would be nice." Rachel agreed, a smile spreading across her face.

"So where did you go?" Artie asked.

"Finn's." Rachel admitted.

"So you two made up?" Tina squealed.

"I guess." Rachel shrugged her shoulders.

"Are you two back together?" Blaine asked. "You have been hanging out with him a lot, and that night together obviously said something."

"Yes; it said that Finn was drunk and we were both lonely." Rachel rolled her eyes. "We're still broken up, and that's all we'll be. I may have forgiven Finn for what he did to me, but that doesn't take away the pain I felt." Rachel paused. "Besides, there are other things complicating my life, making it nearly impossible to maintain a stable relationship with him."

"Like what?" Mercedes prompted.

"She doesn't have to tell us if she doesn't want to." Kurt added in quickly. Rachel gave him a grateful smile before letting out a sigh.

"I'd rather not." Rachel admitted. "Besides, none of you would understand."

"That's cool." Sam nodded his head, pulling out his cell phone. "Oh, look; my girlfriend says her flight from Miami will be here tomorrow at one." He grinned.

"Awwwwww!" They all squealed. Sam rolled his eyes.

"I can use your car, right, Kurt?" Sam checked.

"Of course!" Kurt exclaimed. "Anything to meet your girlfriend!" Rachel laughed and shook her head.

"Might wanna text Finn now and say you won't be going to his place tomorrow." Mercedes warned. Artie and Tina chuckled.

"I don't go to his house everyday." Rachel argued.

"Almost everyday." Artie said. "You know he was talking about visiting you after you left? Said he hasn't been to New York in forever, and that it would be cool to hang out." Artie paused. "But it was supposed to be a surprise, so don't tell him I told you."

"Really?" Rachel glanced at the floor.

"That's so sweet!" Tina gushed.

"Thank you for the heads-up, Artie." Rachel smiled. "Now I'll have time to clean up my apartment."

"He only said maybe." Artie shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm beat." Mercedes announced. "I'm gonna go home now."

"We should go, too." Tina smiled. "We're sorry for what happened, Rachel."

"It's okay." Rachel grinned. "I'll see you guys…well, whenever."

"Tell the others our next hangout will be in two days." Kurt glanced at Blaine. "And I expect everyone to come."

"Got it." Tina nodded her head. Everyone said their goodbyes and then it was just Sam, Blaine, Kurt, and Rachel.

"So, Rachel…did you and Finn do anything?" Kurt asked.

"Nothing other then talk." Rachel replied with a smile. She stood up and headed off to her room. She pulled out her cell phone and sent a quick text to Priscilla.

_Rachel: False alarm; not pregnant._

_Priscilla: OMG, that's amazing!_

Rachel grinned. Yes, it was amazing how her summer was turning out. It was, by far, the most eventful one yet.

-glee!-

Rachel heard Sam leave at about twelve that day. She grinned and leaned back in her bed. Kurt and Blaine had been preparing all morning for the arrival of Sam's mysterious girlfriend, and Sam grew more and more excited as the time of her arrival grew closer; you could tell by the look on his face.

At around twelve thirty, Rachel received a text from Finn. She smiled and opened her phone to see what he had sent her.

_Finn: what's up?_

_Rachel: Nothing much._

_Finn: wanna come over? We could hang out._

_Rachel: Can't. Sam's got the car; went to pick up his girlfriend from the airport._

_Finn: damn him. _

_Rachel: lol._

_Finn: can I come over then?_

_Rachel: Sure. I don't mind._

_Finn: k see ya soon._

Rachel grinned and closed her phone, pulling out her laptop and turning it on. She waited for it load and brought up her IM. She had no idea why, but she decided to. Puck, Blaine, Brittany, and Priscilla were online.

**dancingthrulife23 has joined the chat**

**heyyyy!**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**hey!**

**dancingthrulife23 has replied**

**seth is totally fine. Watching espn. He likes baseball now, 2.**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**isn't that great? One more thing he inherited from his father.**

**dancingthrulife23 has replied**

**lol. Totally tru. Anywhoo, I only came on 2 check things out. Better get back 2 watching him.**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**You mean you aren't watching him right now?**

**dancingthrulife23 has replied**

**bye, rachel.**

**dancingthrulife23 has signed off**

Rachel rolled her eyes and went to sign off when Blaine pulled up a chat with her.

**urteenagedream7 has joined the chat**

**hello there, rachel. How are things?**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**I don't know if we should consider this an all time low being as you're only in the room right outside of mine.**

**urteenagedream7 has replied**

**very true. So, how's finn?**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**why don't you ask him when he comes over?**

**urteengaedream7 has replied**

**like a date?**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**no, we're just hanging out.**

**urteenagedream7 has replied**

**away from the bed, I hope.**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**you are so lucky I am no where near you right now.**

**urteenagedream7 has replied**

**what would u do? Murder me with song?**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**something along those lines.**

**urteenagedream7 has replied**

**lol. Please refrain from celine dion though.**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**thanks for the idea!**

**urteenagedream7 has replied**

**damn. **

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**lol.**

**urteenagedream7 has replied**

**this may seem a bit invasive, but I can't help myself. Why don't u just agree to start dating finn again? U practically r already.**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**it's complicated.**

**urteenagedream7 has replied**

**no it isn't.**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**you wouldn't understand.**

**urteenagedream7 has replied**

**then help me understand.**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**it would never work out between me and finn.**

**urteenagedream7 has replied**

**it worked out b4.**

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**yeah, before…**

**urteenagedream7 has replied**

**b4 what?**

Before Rachel got a chance to reply, the doorbell rang. She smiled slyly.

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**that's finn. I got to go now.**

**urteenagedream7 has replied**

**saved by the bell. **

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**thank God.**

**urteenagedream7 has replied**

**I think u should go for it, rachel. What do u have to lose? Obviously not ur virginity. **

**rachelberry225 has replied**

**sleep with one eye open tonight, blaine.**

**urteenagedream7 has replied**

**I mean it, tho. U and finn were made for each other. Give him another chance. Go for it, rachel. U won't be sorry.**

**rachelberry225 has signed off**

And as Rachel went to the answer the door, Blaine's words stuck in her mind. _You and Finn were made for each other…_

-glee!-

"Sam's back!" Kurt exclaimed, running to the front door.

"Wait, you were looking outside the window for them?" Rachel checked, exiting her room with Finn following close behind.

"Isn't that a bit creepy?" Finn asked.

"Not in the least." Kurt argued. "Oh, look, there she is…" Rachel stood on her tiptoes and let out a frustrated sigh.

"I can't see." She complained. "I'm still too short to see past Kurt's giant head." Kurt glared at her.

"My head is just the right size." Kurt mumbled, but he scooted a bit to the left so Rachel had a chance to see.

"Oh my God…" Kurt whispered, his hand flying to his mouth.

"Isn't that…?" Rachel gasped.

"Santana." Finn finished, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "What the hell is Sam thinking? Doesn't he know what she does to guys like him?"

"Guys in general, you mean." Kurt corrected. Rachel clenched her fists together.

"I'm going to have to put up with her day _**and **_night for the next three weeks. As if high school wasn't bad enough." Rachel complained.

"You could always stay at my house, if you want." Finn offered.

"Whoah, getting cozy, are we now?" Blaine called from the hallway, making his way over to the front door. He leaned against the wall and flashed Rachel a crooked grin. She rolled her eyes in reply and grinned back at Finn.

"I'll be fine for now, don't worry." She assured him. There was a tap on the door before Blaine opened it respectfully. Sam and Santana walked through the door quietly hand in hand, Blaine closing the door behind them.

"So, Sam, what happened to your girlfriend?" Kurt asked with a smirk. "Did you lose her on the way and decide to get cozy with Hopez?"

"Haha, real funny, lady face." Santana smirked, linking arms with Sam.

"Guys, I'd like you to meet Santana." Sam introduced, grinning. "She's my new girlfriend."

"But…how…?" Rachel asked softly. Sam opened his mouth to speak, but Santana cut him off.

"I'll do the talking here." She smirked at Rachel. "Well, RuPaul, you haven't changed at all. Your look seems a bit hotter, but you still remind me of a lonely Japanese man's fantasies." Rachel rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to tell her off, but Santana cut her off again. "I've decided I'm done being the whore I was in high school. Javier helped me realize that I was better then that. And I've always had a crush on Sam…so I visited him and we took a trip to Vegas. Surprisingly, though, we didn't do anything. Now I am deeply and irrevocably in love with him, and there's no way I would change that."

"Wow, Santana, I'm proud of you." Rachel praised, applauding quietly. "Too bad it took you seven years to figure that out."

"And I'm not so much of a bitch anymore." Santana stated proudly. "Sam helped me realize that I'm better then that, too."

"Well, I wouldn't go that far…" Kurt muttered.

"Okay, so my comment to Rachel was really rude, and I'm sorry for that." Santana grinned. "I was just teasing you, you know that, right?"

"Um, well, I do now." Rachel grinned back at her. Santana really had changed; she seemed to glow with confidence that she never had in high school. Sam really had changed her, and Rachel was glad. If only he could have changed Quinn, too…

"Well, I'm glad to see your flight made it in safely." Kurt smiled. "You and Sam can get set up in the guest room." Santana flashed Sam a knowing grin, one that both Rachel and Finn caught.

"The walls are really thin, just to give you a heads up." Finn announced.

"Thank you for the warning, Frankenteen." Santana flashed him a coy smile. "Good thing I was never the loud type anyways."

"That's what she said." Blaine muttered. Kurt chuckled and watched as Sam and Santana headed off to the guest room with her luggage.

"I never thought I'd say this, but they are actually really cute together." Kurt speculated.

"Agreed." Rachel nodded her head. "I'm just glad she isn't a bitch anymore." Finn squeezed her shoulder before gesturing back to her room. Rachel nodded her head with a smile on her face before leading him off to her room.

"Remember!" Blaine called from the hallway. "The walls are really thin, so we can here you." He mocked her.

"Shut up." Rachel called over her shoulder before closing the door to her room. She jumped onto her bed and crossed her legs, grinning. Finn laughed and took a seat next to her.

"What the hell was that?"

"I don't even know." Rachel admitted. "I guess I'm just really energetic."

"What do you say to taking away some of that energy?" Finn waggled his eyebrows and Rachel laughed, shoving him playfully.

"Shut up, Finn." She giggled. Finn chuckled and ruffled her hair. Rachel glared in his direction, going her best to fix her hair before reaching out and ruffling his hair in return.

"Oh, it's on now." Finn warned, ruffling Rachel's hair again. She giggled and soon it was just a tangle of arms and hair before Finn finally reached out and tickled Rachel. Who knew she was so ticklish? Gosh, if he had known this when they were dating, he would have gotten laid every night. She fell back against the bed, shrieking with laughter before she finally managed to push Finn away.

"Stop…it…" Rachel pleaded, her face red as she ran out of breath. Finn leaned over her, gazing into her eyes before grinning.

"I win." He whispered.

"In your dreams." Rachel replied softly, doing her best to catch her breath. Slowly, Finn leaned forward. Rachel's heart raced and her conversation with Blaine earlier flashed in her mind. She was ready for this; she was ready to be in a relationship with Finn. Her lips parted, waiting for the kiss…and then the door opened. Rachel sat up so abruptly she hit her head against Finn's.

"Ow!" She exclaimed, rubbing her hand against her forehead, glancing out of the corner of her eye to see whom it was. Of course, it was none other then Kurt. He blinked slowly before shaking his head in disapproval.

"Sorry if I'm intruding in what looks like a very erotic and romantic moment, but I need to speak with Finn for a moment." Kurt nodded in Finn's direction. Finn, who had been rubbing his hand against his forehead nodded and got up. He flashed Rachel a crooked grin.

"You okay?" He asked.

"No." Rachel huffed, the pain still pounding in her head. "You have a very hard head, Finn Hudson." He grinned and without warning, bent down and placed a quick kiss on her forehead. He pulled away and headed for the door.

"What was that…?" Rachel began, confused.

"To help you feel better." Finn called over his shoulder. "I'll be right back." Rachel watched him leave, slowly putting her hand back on her forehead. He has kissed her. She watched the door close before she grinned. Yes, she was ready to be in a relationship with him again.

-glee!-

"So, what's up? What do you want to talk about?" Finn asked, taking a seat on the couch. Before Kurt had a chance to speak, there was a giggle from Santana and Sam's room, followed by a moan. Kurt shuddered and turned back to Finn.

"It's about you and Rachel." Kurt admitted. "Are you two dating again?" Finn leaned back in the couch and sighed.

"No." He replied.

"Why?" Kurt tipped his head to the side. "That moment I just walked in on would say otherwise."

"I don't know." Finn sighed.

"Why don't you just tell her you want to start dating her again?" Kurt asked.

"Because I'm afraid she'll say no." Finn admitted. "And I can't take that kind of rejection. I really love her, Kurt, and it would break my heart if she turned me down."

"She won't turn you down." Kurt snorted. "It's obvious she wants this as much as you do. Besides, she's forgiven you for what you did." He lifted his chin. "I heard her say so myself."

"Yeah, but, Kurt…"

"Look, you love her, and she loves you. There's nothing else to it." Kurt shifted his weight a bit. "Besides, Blaine talked to her earlier. She definitely wants to get back together with you."

"Well…"

"What have you got to lose, Finn?" Kurt asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Her." Finn whispered. "If I screw up again, I'll lose her for good."

"But you won't." Kurt encouraged him. "You and Rachel will be fine." After a few moments of silence, Finn slowly nodded his head.

"Okay. I'll tell her how I feel."

-glee!-

"Is everyone here?" Kurt asked, taking a seat across from Artie. Rachel grinned and shifted a bit closer to Finn, who had taken a seat by her, so Tina would enough room on the couch. Sam and Santana shared the loveseat, cuddling with each other.

"Quinn and Puck got caught in traffic." Sam informed him. "They're on their way, though."

"And no one really knows where Brittany is." Tina added.

"No one knows _**anything**_ regarding that girl." Mercedes corrected her. They all laughed and Santana nodded her head.

"Very true."

"So Artie and I have something to say." Tina announced.

"You're pregnant." Blaine interrupted. Tina's cheeks flushed bright red as she glared at him.

"In your dreams."

"Well, damn, how'd you know I dreamt about you?" Blaine shot back. A few people giggled before turning back to Tina and Artie in curiousity.

"We're dating again." Artie finally said. All the girls plus Kurt began squealing about how adorable they were together. Finn smiled and elbowed Rachel. She turned to face him with a grin on her face.

"Will you be okay, you know, with Quinn?" He whispered.

"Sure." Rachel smiled. "Besides, you'll be here to make everything okay." She turned back to Artie and Tina and Finn smiled.

"So has this become a love seminar now?" Blaine checked, amused.

"Yes." Mercedes grinned. "And I got myself a guy, too." Everyone leaned forward.

"OMG, who?" Kurt asked.

"He works at the local McDonald's. We aren't exactly dating, but we got talking yesterday and it turns out we like a lot of the same things." She grinned. "He gave me the fries thirty percent off. I paid practically nothing for them. His name is Kyle."

"How cute!" Tina exclaimed, reaching for Artie's hand.

"You'll have to introduce me to him." Kurt nodded his head. The front door opened, and in walked Brittany.

"I'm sorry I'm late." She smiled. "I forgot how to turn on a car, but Brad helped me remember."

"Who's Brad?" Santana asked. Brittany waved 'hello' to Santana before answering.

"My new boyfriend." Everyone gasped. "He's super fine. He works at Breadsticks, too, so I get all the food there for free. He's, like, assistant manager or something."

"How long have you two been dating?" Blaine asked.

"Since Saturday." Brittany smiled. "I just forgot to tell you all. I was staying at his apartment because I forgot where my house was."

"Aw!" Santana exclaimed. Brittany took a seat next to Santana. Rachel smiled as she watched the two friends chat.

"And, as you all know, Blaine and I are still together." Kurt spoke up. Blaine nodded his head in agreement, grinning. The girls all repeated the squeals of delight before the front door opened once more, Quinn and Puck walking in. Rachel stiffened a bit as Quinn walked in, but Finn's hand squeezed hers reassuringly. Rachel smiled at him and relaxed as both Puck and Quinn took a seat next to Kurt and Blaine.

"So what did we miss?" Puck asked.

"A love seminar." Santana answered, waving 'hello' to Quinn. "But me, Sam, Rachel, and Finn still haven't shared their relationship status."

"Well, in that case…" Puck stood back up, causing Quinn to cock her head to the side in confusion.

"Are you leaving, Puck…?" She asked, her voice trailing off as he knelt in front of her.

"Look, Quinn, I know we've only been dating for a short while, but I've always felt this strange connection to you." He paused. "I love you, Quinn, and I know you love me, too. I was going to ask you this when we were alone, but we're all real close so…" Puck shoved his hand into the pocket of his pants and pulled out a ring case. The room became filled with an eerie silence and Rachel's eyes widened at the sighed. Quinn's reaction was exactly the same. "Quinn, will you marry me?"

"Tying the knot, are we?" Sam spoke up. Santana elbowed him to be quiet and everyone watched silently as Quinn nodded her head, obviously too shocked to speak. Her eyes were brimmed with tears of happiness as she threw her arms around Puck's neck.

"Yes, you idiot, of course!" She exclaimed. Rachel leaned her head against Finn's shoulder without thinking and sighed, watching as Puck delicately slid the ring onto Quinn's finger. Applause erupted from everyone in the room, Blaine and Kurt nodding their heads in approval as Sam leaned over and placed a kiss on Santana's lips.

"That was sweet." Rachel admitted in a soft voice.

"Yeah." Finn smiled. "That reminds me, I need to talk to you." Rachel pulled away.

"Okay." She agreed, standing up and leading Finn to the hallway. "You aren't going to propose to me, too, are you?"

"Do you want me to?" Finn asked, laughing as Rachel's cheeks turned bright red. "Nah, I just wanted to tell you something. Well, ask you something."

"Okay." Rachel said, cocking her head to the side. Finn took a deep breath.

"I love you, Rachel. And you don't understand how much I beat myself up after we broke up. I hated being apart from you, Rachel, and seeing you again this summer was a miracle. I nearly killed myself for not going after you when you left. By the time I finally got my ass moving, you were gone. And I never forgave myself for that." He paused. "I think that you coming down and running into me was a sign that we were meant to be together. And this time, I won't screw it up. I love you too much to ever hurt you again." As Finn finished, Rachel found herself frozen with shock. What Finn had just said was probably the sweetest, deepest things he had ever said to her. Rachel glanced at her feet, speechless. Finn glanced down at her, worry suddenly creeping into his heart. "So, what do you say, Rach? Do you love me or what?" Rachel glanced back up at him, her eyes round.

"I love you." She whispered, throwing her arms around his neck. He breathed a sigh of relief and hugged her back with all the strength he could muster up. When they finally pulled away from each other, he grabbed her hands and smiled his trademark grin.

"I love you, Rachel Berry. I always did."

"I love you, too." Rachel breathed. She meant it, too.

And then they kissed. To Rachel, it was the most wonderful feeling in the world, to have Finn loving her and kissing her like this again. To Finn, it was a promise that he was intent on keeping. He loved Rachel, and he would never let her slip away again.

**So Rachel and Finn are back together! Yay! The next chapter brings secrets and heartbreak as Rachel and Finn explore a new development in their relationship: Seth. That's right, everyone, Seth is back! Yay! I know how much you wanted this to happen, and now it is finally time! By far, Chapter 11 will be the most eventful chapter this story has ever seen. I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, though. I loved writing all the Finchel scenes! And by the way, I have 196 reviews! I am so close to 200 it isn't even funny! So please, help me get to 210 reviews and I will post the long-awaited Chapter 11. I will try to have it posted by Saturday at the latest, but I can't make any promises. Because Chapter 11 is the turning point in this story, it will be the one I have to work the hardest on to make absolutely perfect. That's pretty much all I have to say for now. Remember to review! And like my Facebook fanpage!**


	13. Chapter 11: Not Like the Movies

**I know many of you are probably freaking out right now, because the long-awaited Chapter 11 has finally been posted! I have gotten so many wonderful reviews saying just how amazing my story is and expressing how much you all love it. I am very glad that I have been able to please so many people; to be honest, when I first posted this story, I never expected it to be such a hit! It both shocks and amazes me to know that so many of you are reading my story and loving it, too! Thank you so much for all your support and wonderful reviews! Now, let's get to business. As all of you know, this is the chapter when Finn finds out about Seth. To clear the air, let me tell you, the plot has changed for this chapter and the last few chapters since my FAQs. Finn will no longer be finding out about Seth under bad circumstances (and none of the were going to die to begin with). Let me just give you one hint: remember those scrapbooks Rachel packed in Chapter 3 (if not, go back and read it. It's in the first paragraph)? Those may come into play later in this chapter…and although one or two of you told me not to pull a Ryan Murphy and break them up, what would Finchel be without all the drama? Plus, be honest; how would you react once you found out you've been a parent for a year and a half without even knowing it? I know I'd want to break up with Rachel, too, if I were Finn. But don't worry; this is a Finchel story, so they will end up back together! Now, the long-awaited, most anticipated chapter of 'It Only Takes 5 Weeks to Fall in Love'! This chapter is written to 'Not Like the Movies' by Katy Perry. **

"You feel so warm…" Rachel murmured, snuggling closer to Finn. He smiled and ran his fingers through her hair.

"Mm…" Was his only reply. Since Finn's mom was away at work until eight that night, Rachel decided to spend the whole day with him to make up for the year and a half they weren't together (even though they had spent the whole day before together as well). They were cuddling on the couch, watching 'The Notebook', but the movie had been on pause for thirty minutes as Rachel and Finn made out.

"I'm so happy I'm with you right now." Rachel continued.

"Mhm-hm." He sighed, breathing in the smell of her strawberry shampoo. She closed her eyes, a grin on her face.

"You're so sweet and gentle, too." Rachel continued before Finn placed a finger to her lips.

"Shh…" He whispered. "Let's be quiet and enjoy this moment together." For a few seconds, Rachel remained quiet, relishing in the moment of having Finn caress her just like he used to and trying to convince herself that this life she was living wasn't a dream. But those few seconds were short-lived.

"You know what you would be good at?" Rachel whispered. Finn chuckled.

"What?" He whispered back.

"Being a father." Rachel murmured, a vacant expression in her eyes as she thought of Seth. Finn's fingers stopped running through her hair and he pulled away from her, a look of surprise on his face.

"No, I wouldn't." He told her. " I never had a dad. Well, I guess there was Burt…but you know what I mean."

"You don't have to learn from someone." Rachel argued. "I never had a mom. So what? Although it helps to have someone to look up to, it doesn't matter. Be your own type of parent. And still, parenting isn't something you learn, it's something you get. Sort of like an instinct."

"Why did you bring this up?" Finn asked. Rachel's cheeks turned red and she glanced away. "Are you pregnant?"

"No!" Rachel exclaimed. "I told you already, it wasn't real. It was a hysterical pregnancy."

"But you could…from what we did yesterday…in my room…" Rachel's cheeks turned redder as she shook her head vigorously.

"No way. It takes a few weeks before anything becomes noticeable." Rachel paused. "Besides, I don't think I'd end up pregnant anyways…"

"Why?" Finn asked, tipping his head to the side.

"I'm not going to say." Rachel shook her head, her cheeks still bright red.

"Oh!" Finn exclaimed, the reason suddenly dawning on him. "Is it because you're on your…?"

"Finn!" Rachel shrieked, slapping him across the arm. Finn burst into laughter and grabbed Rachel, bringing her close to his body.

"I love you, Rachel." He whispered.

"I love you, too." She whispered back. She glanced up at him and their lips met. The kiss started out simple, but turned into something much more as time went on.

"Should we continue the movie?" Finn murmured in between kisses. In response, Rachel grabbed the TV remote and turned it off.

"There's always tomorrow." Rachel whispered back. And they were right back where they started.

-glee!-

The next day Rachel woke up, she had a headache and was feeling slightly congested. She groaned and dragged her feet out of her bed and into the living room where Sam and Santana sat cuddling as they watched the news (yeah, _**real **_romantic). Santana flashed Rachel one look before raising an eyebrow.

"You look like shit." Santana said. "And that wasn't to be mean."

"Yeah, Rachel, you don't look so good." Sam agreed. Rachel ignored them and glanced around the room, sniffling.

"Where's Kurt?" Rachel asked.

"Out somewhere." Santana replied. "Are you okay?"

"No. I think I'm catching a cold or something." Rachel sniffled and sighed. "Do you know if Kurt has any Ibuprofen?"

"Yeah, in the kitchen somewhere." Sam answered. "Oh, look, the weather." Rachel rolled her eyes.

"Do you enjoy this, Santana?" Rachel asked.

"I enjoy cuddling with Sam." Santana grinned. "Besides, what's it to you? So Sam and I enjoy watching the news; big deal. You and Finn enjoy sleeping with each other everyday."

"Huh?" Sam turned back to them, one eyebrow raised in confusion.

"Nothing." Santana smiled sweetly at him before turning back to Rachel, who was staring at the floor, blushing.

"How can you tell?" Rachel whispered.

"I can see it on your face." Santana smiled slyly. "Years of experience with several different guys taught me that. Like, I know Brittany and Brad had sex last night, and it's no shocker that Puck was laid, too…"

"Okay, please stop." Sam interrupted, closing his eyes. Santana snickered as Sam shook his head in disapproval. "I love you, Santana, and I love doing those things with you, but I don't need to hear about everyone else's sexual lives." Rachel sighed and rolled her eyes, smiling.

"You two are so cute together." Rachel smiled. "I never would have imagined you guys ever getting together."

"Ha!" Santana exclaimed. "You know me; even if I was still the same kind of slut I was back then, you still know that I would have slept with him either way."

"Yeah…" Rachel agreed. "By the way, what made you change the way you acted?"

"Down in Miami, I met a super hot guy named Javier. His dad was a dentist, and his mom was, like, a lawyer. Either way, he still got a lot of money. He helped me realize that I could me something more then the slut that slept with every other guy." Santana grinned. "And I went to visit Sam in San Francisco, and we went to Vegas and got together."

"Wow." Rachel smiled. "What about you being a bitch and what not?"

"I was bitch because I was a hoe." Santana replied. "And I can still be a bitch, too, so don't mess with me."

"I know better then that." Rachel smiled. "I think I'm going to go back to sleep. My head really hurts and I still feel shitty."

"Have fun." Sam mumbled, eyes glued to the TV screen as sports announcements came on.

Santana rolled her eyes. "Men."

Rachel giggled and nodded her head in agreement. "Totally." And then she headed back into her room, climbing into her bed and pulling the covers over her tiny body. She couldn't remember the last time she had gotten sick; maybe it was the time she had been nursing Seth back to health when he had gotten his first cold. He was only seven months old; Rachel could still remember how freaked out she had been and how for two weeks after that she sterilized anything and everything in her house, trying to keep any other diseases from infecting her son. It had been Priscilla who convinced her that germs were everywhere, and it was only natural to get a cold. Only two days later, she ended up sick with a cold.

As Rachel found herself thinking of Seth more, the closer she knew the time was coming to tell Finn. Her mind had been playing out several different reactions since the day Seth was born, but it seemed to be in overdrive now. She sniffled and closed her eyes, ignoring the pounding in her head and the dryness in her throat. In her dreams, she hoped to find answers. And her answer was a simple sight: Rachel and Finn standing together hand-in-hand as they watched Seth toddle around the local playground, laughing his shrill, little laugh. It was perfect; she hoped they would be close like that in real life, too.

-glee!-

Rachel woke up at around twelve, feeling even worse then she had in the morning. Her headache had worsened and she felt more congested then she had earlier. Her throat was drier and her body ached everywhere. Reluctantly, she climbed out of bed and walked over to her suitcase, pulling out a change of clothes. Then she saw the small dark purple book. She grinned, pulling it out as well. It was the scrapbook she had packed of her and Seth. She tossed onto her bed, making sure she would look at it later. Quickly, Rachel changed into her clothes and exited her room.

Kurt was back now, and she could hear Blaine in his room. The TV off was off, and Santana and Sam had obviously left for some alone time. She headed into the kitchen, which was where Kurt was standing eating an apple. Kurt glanced up from the apple, his eyes widening as he looked Rachel up and down.

"Wow, Rachel, you don't look so good."

"I think I've caught a cold." She said, sniffling. "Which, now that I think of it, is quite odd since it's summer."

"You can still catch a cold in the summer."

"But it's rare." Rachel argued.

"Well, I hope you're feeling better by tomorrow, because I'm throwing a party here." Kurt announced. Rachel flashed him a glare.

"Why?"

"To celebrate the arrival of Santana, of course!" Kurt exclaimed. "And Brittany is bringing Brad, and Mercedes is bringing Kyle."

"Why throw a party at all?" Rachel asked.

"Because they're fun." Kurt glared at her. "At least we're not going anywhere this time. I didn't want a repeat of last time."

"I don't either." Rachel flashed back. "I don't want to go to your party."

"You're going to have to. The party is being held here, and everyone is coming. Even Finn."

"What if I'm feeling even worse?" Rachel asked.

"Then you can just sit on the couch and socialize." Kurt crossed his arms. "You are attending this party no matter what, Rachel."

"You suck." Rachel muttered, heading back into her room. She closed the door behind her and pulled out her cell phone, deciding to text Finn for a little bit.

_Rachel: Hi._

_Finn: hello!_

_Rachel: How are you?_

_Finn: good hbu?_

_Rachel: Sick._

_Finn: ? how?_

_Rachel: What do you mean 'how'?_

_Finn: r u ok? Should I come over?_

_Rachel: I'll be fine. Did you hear about the party Kurt is throwing tomorrow night?_

_Finn: yeah. I'll c u then._

_Rachel: Kurt is making me attend. Do you know how crappy I'll be feeling?_

_Finn: do u want me 2 talk 2 him?_

_Rachel: No, I'll be fine…I guess._

_Finn: ok. My mom just came home and I promised 2 help her around the house. I'll txt u l8r. Love u._

_Rachel: Love you, too._

Rachel closed her phone and grabbed he scrapbook she threw on the bed and began to flip through the pages. She smiled; one of the first pictures was of Seth the day he was born, sleeping in the nursery. She had Marissa take that picture for her. As she continued looking through the pages, she couldn't feel a pain in her chest as she realized just how empty the pictures looked without Finn. The last picture in the scrapbook was one Priscilla had taken of Rachel and Seth sitting on the floor, playing with his new set of building blocks, the day of his first birthday. Rachel closed the book and got up, searching for the second one, which still had to be completed.

The first picture in that book was of Seth playing on the playground conveniently located three blocks away from her apartment. He was laughing as he slid down one of the slides. Rachel smiled; that had to have been one of her favorite pictures.

There was a light tap on the door. Panicking, Rachel took both of her scrapbooks and shoved them under her pillow before telling whomever it was to come in. It was Brittany.

"Brittany?" Rachel asked, not even bothering to hide her surprise. The blond smiled and closed the door behind her, taking a seat at the edge of her bed.

"Hi, Rachel. Kurt told me you were sick, so I won't stay that long." She paused. "Besides, Brad and I are meeting for lunch."

"Okay."

"I don't really get to talk to you." Brittany began slowly. "So I never really got to know you. I know we're friends, but I don't know anything about you."

"Oh." Rachel paused, sitting up. "I guess that goes for me, too."

"I just wanted to be a closer friend." Brittany smiled. "I thought it would be nice. Quinn thinks it's stupid, but she also thought dating Artie was stupid, and it wasn't."

"What do you want to know?" Rachel asked, smiling.

"What do you think of babies?" Brittany asked, looking at the floor. Rachel blinked slowly.

"Babies?" She repeated in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Brad and I just met, but we're really close and have an amazing connection." Brittany paused. "I moved in with him. We're talking about eloping, whatever that means, and last night, has asked me about babies."

"Brittany, I've never had any experience with babies…"

"I know." Brittany smiled.

"Why didn't you ask Quinn about this? She's had a baby before." Rachel glanced at the floor. "One that my mother chose over me." She muttered bitterly.

"You're nicer then Quinn." Brittany said softly. "I didn't like what she did to you at that one hangout. It was mean."

"Okay." Rachel sighed. "I think you and Brad should wait. You both have your whole lives ahead of you. Give it a few years and then consider the whole baby thing."

"That makes sense." Brittany agreed.

"I'm glad I could help." Rachel grinned. "But if you think about this, you didn't come here to get to know me better; you came here to get advice."

"Oh." Brittany ran her fingers along the pattern of the sheets. "Well, I have to go now. I'll talk to you later."

"Okay. Thank you for coming by, Brittany."

"Thank you for helping me." Brittany smiled and started towards the door, stopping at the entrance. "You know, you would make a great mom. You should consider starting a family with Finn." She said over her shoulder without looking back. Rachel watched the door close, frozen with shock. Had Brittany guessed her secret? Or was this just another one of her moments?

"Oh, Brittany." Rachel whispered, pulling out the second scrapbook. "If you only knew the truth…"

-glee!-

As Rachel predicted, she wasn't feeling better at all the next day. In fact, if possible, she felt worse. She was almost positive that she had now developed a fever and had even developed a cough.

Yet Kurt refused to let Rachel miss out on the party; he told her that it was mandatory to be at the party. After several minutes of arguing it over, Rachel finally agreed and with an annoyed huff, she took two pills of Ibuprofen in hopes of reducing her fever. Feeling lazy because of her illness, she didn't bother to make her bed and left the blanket crumpled at the end of the bed. Tangled in the blanket were the two scrapbooks, but knowing no one come into her room, she didn't bother to put them away.

She brushed her teeth and took a quick shower and changed into some of her nicer clothes before sitting herself on the couch. She didn't eat breakfast or lunch, and stayed on the couch all day, sneezing or sniffling or coughing.

"You're not going to convince me to not let you attend by sitting yourself on my couch and look all pitiful." Kurt told her as he walked by, beginning to set up the house. Rachel glared after him, flipping him off before leaning back in the couch. Blaine flashed her an apologetic glance as he helped Kurt set things up.

By the time it was seven, Rachel found herself feeling worse off. Her fever had returned, and her cough had just become more incessant and annoying, not only to her, but to everyone else, too.

"Is there a way I can shut you up?" Santana exclaimed, exasperated.

"I'm sorry that my being sick has annoyed you so much." Rachel shot back sarcastically, breaking into another coughing fit. She hugged her knees close to her chest and did her best to calm down. The doorbell rung, and in walked Tina, Artie, Quinn, and Puck. Quinn took one look at Rachel before shaking her head.

"I'm not sitting on that couch tonight."

"Shut up, Quinn." Rachel grumbled, sniffling.

"Why is she out here?" Artie asked Kurt. Before Kurt could reply, Rachel had broke in instead.

"He forced me to come. No matter how much I begged, he wouldn't let me get away with not attending."

"Smart move, Kurt." Puck mumbled, glancing in Rachel's direction. "You feeling okay?" Quinn rolled her eyes.

"Obviously not." She muttered. Puck glared at Quinn.

"I just have a cold." Rachel broke in. The doorbell rang again, and in walked Brittany with a man who looked to be the same age as them. He was tall, but definitely not as tall as Finn. He had dark ginger hair that fell into his eyes (which were a really pretty green color) and wore a simple T-shirt and jeans. He was obviously Brad, Brittany's new boyfriend. Brittany waved at Rachel, winking at her before bringing Brad over to the couch.

"Rachel, this is Brad. Brad, this is Rachel." Brittany introduced excitedly. Brad flashed her a warm smile.

"Hi." He greeted her.

"Hi." Rachel replied warmly, her voice cracking.

"Rachel's sick." Brittany quickly explained. She flashed Rachel and excited smile. "I hope you'll still be able to enjoy the party!"

"Yes, from the couch, I will be able to enjoy the party." Rachel mumbled. Brittany giggled and pulled Brad away, eagerly introducing him to the rest of her friends. The front door opened and Finn walked in, not even bothering to say 'hi' to anyone else. He made a beeline for the couch and sat down next to Rachel, his eyes filled with concern.

"You okay?" He asked.

"No. It turns out my cold has gotten worse." Rachel complained, sneezing. Finn kissed her on the forehead, pulling away quickly.

"You're, like, really hot." He paused. "Not in that way, but like, fever hot." Rachel groaned.

"Can you please go get me some Ibuprofen and water?" Rachel begged.

"Yeah." He got up and glanced back at Rachel. "I'm gonna kick Kurt's ass for making you come out here like this."

"Please do." Rachel agreed. Finn left and came back with a glass of water and two Ibuprofen pills. Rachel took them and swallowed them, taking a drink of water before setting the glass down on the end table next to her. The door opened once more, and in came Mercedes and her new friend. He was a bit taller then her, very physically fit, and wore a loose T-shirt with baggy jeans and a backwards baseball cap. He was very polite and well educated (you could tell by the way he talked), and explained he only worked at a fast food restaurant for extra money; he was studying to become a doctor.

Now that everyone had arrived, Kurt had turned up the music and watched as people socialized and ate. Someone had brought a beer keg, but surprisingly, not many took drinks from it. She forced Finn not to drink at all. The only people who drank at the party were Sam and Puck, and they only took two drinks. Rachel scowled; how come they couldn't have acted like this when they went to Kroaky's? She sighed and began shivering, suddenly feeling very cold.

"You don't look so hot." Finn commented. Rachel sniffled and snuggled closer to his body, shivering uncontrollably.

"'Cause I'm sick." Rachel replied before breaking out into a coughing fit. "Seriously, when I find out who got me sick, I will kill them." Finn laughed and kissed her softly on the forehead.

"I love it when you overreact." He smiled.

"Don't kiss me; I don't want to get you sick." Rachel scolded him, sniffling. "I hate Kurt. I could have been resting now, but _**no**_, he had to drag me out here."

"You wanna go rest?" Finn asked, raising his eyebrows. Rachel giggled before shaking her head.

"No. What's the point in doing so now?"

"Okay." He wrapped his arm around her small body and brought her as close to him as he could. Finn could feel her shivering against him and he sighed. "Do you want me to go get you a blanket or something?"

"Yes, please." Rachel breathed. "I'm freezing!" Finn kissed her on the forehead again before getting up and walking off to her room. The first thing he noticed when he walked in was that the blanket lie in a crumpled mess at the edge of the bed. He couldn't help but think how un-Rachel-like that was. She would constantly badger him about making the bed after sleeping in it. Then he noticed something else: a purple scrapbook tangled in the blanket. He pulled the blanket off the bed and the purple scrapbook plus a blue scrapbook fell to the floor. With a confused frown, Finn picked up the purple scrapbook and began to flip through the pages.

-glee!-

Rachel sat on the couch, shivering and waiting. She glanced at the clock and sighed. Had Finn forgotten what he was doing? It happened quite often with him. She turned to see Brad and Brittany making out in a dark corner, and Quinn showing off her engagement ring to Santana, going on about how expensive it must have been and how sweet and caring Puck was and how the ring suited her personality perfectly. Rachel rolled her eyes and clenched her fists together. Then she saw Finn. She sat up, grinning and giggling when she saw he had come back without the blanket.

"Did you forget what you were doing in there?" She asked in a soft voice, sniffling. Finn didn't answer. Instead, he lifted his hand from his side to reveal a purple scrapbook. Her face fell; he had found the scrapbooks. He knew about Seth. She glanced up at him with wide eyes.

"Do you mind explaining who Seth is?" Finn asked in a quiet voice, his eyes showing no expression.

"Finn…" Rachel whispered, standing up. "Can we go talk about this somewhere else?" She reached for his hand, but he took a step back. Now she could see emotion in his eyes; he was hurt, angry, upset.

"I'm sure they don't know who the hell he is either." Finn said, raising his voice. Instinctively, Kurt reached for the volume on the stereo and turned the music. Brittany and Brad pulled apart and everyone became silent as they watched the two argue.

"Finn…" Rachel begged.

"When were you gonna tell me, Rachel?" He was glaring at her now. "When were you gonna tell me you had a kid?" There were gasps behind them and Rachel suddenly felt very self-conscious. She broke into a coughing fit, tears forming in her eyes.

"Finn, I am so sorry…" She whispered.

"No, don't. Don't go playing the victim here, Rachel." He closed his eyes. "You lied to me. For a year and a half, you've been lying to me." Rachel closed her eyes, a tear falling down her cheek.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly.

"Just answer me this." Finn said angrily, meeting her eyes. "Who the hell fathered that kid? Must've been right around the time we broke up."

"You did." Rachel whispered. Finn blinked, taking a few steps back.

"So you're saying…you had a kid, _**my **_kid, you _**lied **_to me about it, and then you expect us to be together?" Rachel's head snapped up, eyes wide.

"Finn, please, I can explain!" Rachel begged. Finn shook his head storming towards the front door.

"It's too late for that. What you did was bad, Rachel. The worst thing you've ever done." He left the house, Rachel following right at his heels.

"You have to listen to me, Finn." Rachel begged, ignoring her cold as she followed Finn out into the night. "We broke up. I was ashamed; I didn't tell anyone, not even my dads. I realized when I saw you again this summer that I was wrong; I was going to tell you, Finn. Please, believe me!" He climbed into his car, ignoring her.

"I'm upset that you didn't let me meet him." Finn said in a surprisingly calm voice. "I wasn't there for his first word or first steps or anything. You kept him hidden away, Rachel. We're done now. You can go back to New York and keep up your little act that everything's perfect to cover up for the fact that it isn't." Rachel sobbed, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"What about all that stuff you said to me three days ago? That we were meant to be together? That you _**loved **_me?" She asked, sniffling. Finn paused, turning on his car. After several moments of silence, he met Rachel's gaze.

"I'm looking at you, Rachel, and I'm trying to remember that feeling, but I can't. You've ruined it for me." And with that, Finn drove away. Rachel stood froze at the edge of Kurt's driveway. Her life seemed absolutely unreal now. She stood there for several minutes, crying until she finally just knelt to the ground and let all her emotions free. All the emotions that she had kept hidden away for so long. She cried harder that night then she had ever before.

-glee!-

Because of the events that took place that night, everyone left earlier than expected. The last guests to leave were Brittany and Brad. No one said anything to Rachel as they passed her by. She had relocated herself and was now sitting outside the front door. After a few minutes, she finally dragged herself inside and onto her bed. She fell asleep with no problem, still thinking of Finn when she woke up the next morning. She called him three times and sent him relentless text messages begging him for forgiveness until she finally realized that he wasn't coming back this time. And that only made her cry harder.

She didn't care about her cold anymore and ignored the fact that it was only getting worse. The symptoms were intensifying and becoming much more ruthless. Rachel would end up struggling for air after she finally finished coughing; it was terrible. But Rachel was willing to put up with it as long as she had Finn back.

Kurt came to visit her later that day, bringing her two Ibuprofen pills and a large glass of water.

"I heard you coughing." He explained in a quiet voice. "And I assumed you had another fever." Rachel took the pills and drank a bit of water before nodding at Kurt.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"I'm sorry about last night." Kurt said softly, taking a seat next to her. "I think Finn may have overreacted a bit."

"No, he didn't." Rachel whispered, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes. "He had every right to react the way he did. I lied to him about his own kid, and I didn't even tell him about Seth. He found out by himself." Kurt was silent for a few moments before patting her on the back reassuringly.

"It'll be okay, Rachel. You'll see." The room was silent for a few minutes before Kurt finally spoke again. "Tell me why, though, you didn't tell any of us about Seth." Very willingly, Rachel began to tell Kurt everything, straight from the break up all the way to the present day. Kurt nodded his head slowly.

"To be honest, Rachel, I can understand why you did it. You panicked; you reacted in a way you wouldn't have had you and Finn still been together. You were hurt and ashamed and at the time, this was the only solution for your problems. But now that time has passed, you have realized how wrong you were. And in hopes of fixing things, you only made things worse." He paused. "I think I would have done the same thing as you, actually, had I been put in that situation."

"Really?" Rachel whispered. Kurt flashed her a half-smile, standing up.

"Everything will be okay, Rachel. You'll see. Finn will come around." With that, Kurt left Rachel to rest and think things over. As soon as Kurt left, Rachel pulled out her laptop, turning it on and signing onto her IM. Only Finn was online, and as soon as she pulled up a chat with him, he signed off. Rachel bit her lip to fight back tears as she, too, signed off. Kurt was wrong; Finn wasn't coming back. She pulled up the Internet and bought tickets for the next flight back to New York.

**So I understand that many of you are probably very upset because of the Finchel break up, but I swear, they will be back together by Chapter 13. And yes, Seth will return for sure in the next chapter. When will Finn meet him? In Chapter 13! And Chapter 12 is already started, providing you curious readers a flashback of their first break up (the one that involved Linda) in Finn's point of view. In fact, the whole chapter will be in Finn's point of view. I hope you enjoyed Chapter 11; I have 220 reviews, but I need 245 to post Chapter 12. A bit much, I presume, but I believe that it is possible. So please, review! And like my Facebook fanpage for exclusive updates!**


	14. Chapter 12: Mr Brightside

**So here is Chapter 12! I am glad to hear you all enjoyed Chapter 11 so much! I was a bit scared at first to see how you all would react to the break up, but I'm glad you all felt the same way I did. I'm happy you all agreed that Finn's reaction was very realistic and some of you even complimented me by saying you could see this happening on the show. That means so much to me XD! Another great compliment that I've gotten was that that chapter was the best update I've ever posted. I'm glad you all think so. Chapter 12 may not be able to live up to Chapter 11, but it will try! I tried to keep the drama going in this chapter. Also, this chapter contains the last flashback to ever be used in this story (it makes me sad to think that). And it's the break up (the one that includes Linda) in Finn's point of view. I thought it would be pretty interesting to do. Anyways, here is Chapter 12! It goes to the song 'Mr. Brightside' by the Killers. **

When Sam and Linda came to visit, Finn was pretty excited. He hadn't seen Sam in ages and he could tell that he was totally jazzed about his new girlfriend. Finn pulled out his Xbox from the hall closet and got it connected and all set up, knowing it would be the center of attention once Sam arrived. On his dresser, he saw a small, neatly wrapped box and one airplane ticket for New York. He smiled as his thoughts instantly went to Rachel. He couldn't wait to surprise her for the holidays. He had gotten her an amazing necklace, and couldn't help but wonder what she had gotten him.

The doorbell to his apartment rang and Finn answered it not too long after. There stood Sam and Linda…and all her luggage. Linda studied Finn, a coy smile creeping onto her face as she wrapped her arm around Sam's waist. She had long, straight brown hair with bangs that covered her eyebrows. She was very skinny but very tall, and had hazel eyes. He nodded his head politely at her before turning to Sam and giving him a high five.

Sam explained that they would only be staying for two days before they stopped by Lima to visit their other friends and some family. Finn told him that it was perfectly fine and they could stay as long as they needed to. In all the excitement of seeing Sam again, Finn didn't notice the looks Linda was giving him. As Puck would have said, she was eye raping him.

Finn and Sam got to talking about the Xbox, and Sam instantly recalled there being a new sports game that had come out. Finn listened to Sam as he explained how the game worked. Finn had become ecstatic and they both agreed to pitch in some money to buy the new game. It took a little bit of convincing, but after a few minutes, Linda agreed to pitch in twenty dollars for the new video game.

Once they had enough money, Sam told Finn he would be going out to get it at the local Wal-Mart. When he came back, they would battle it out to see whom the real champion was.

As soon as Sam was gone, Linda got off the couch and walked over to an end table where he had displayed pictures of him and Rachel. He wouldn't lie; it was completely dedicated to Rachel.

"Who's this?" Linda asked, lifting one of the pictures.

"My girlfriend." Finn smiled. "Her name is Rachel." Linda nodded her head and placed the picture back on the table, flashing him an innocent smile before taking a seat on the couch. She patted the seat next to her, the same innocent smile plastered on her face.

"Come take a seat next to me." She said in such a sweetly seductive voice, Finn felt obligated to listen. He obeyed and sat next to her. She leaned forward her lips parting. Finn's eyes widened and he began to back away.

"I have a girlfriend. You have a boyfriend." Finn said. Linda flashed him a coy smile.

"Who said there was something wrong in having a little something on the side?" She breathed before pressing her lips to his. Finn panicked; he didn't know what to do as Linda forced herself on top of him. In the heat of the moment, he didn't even hear the front door open. He didn't hear anything until he heard the shattering of glass behind him. Linda pulled away and Finn sat up, eyes widening with alarm as he saw whom it was. Rachel. Of all the people who had to walk in on him, it had to be Rachel. Why was she even here? She hadn't told him she was coming to Columbus; she _**never **_came to Columbus.

"Rachel!" He finally managed to say. She crossed her arms and began to cry. Finn felt his heart break; he made Rachel cry. "What are you doing here?" He decided to venture. Linda licked her lips and gave Rachel a glare.

"I'm sorry I've inconvenienced you." Rachel hissed, turning away. "I should have called first." She started towards the door. Finn's eyes widened.

"Ah, crap, wait, Rachel!" Finn begged, following after her. He couldn't let Rachel go, not this easily. She was the girl he loved more then anything. Rachel spun around, the tears becoming more noticeable as they began to make her make-up run.

"For what?" She asked. "So you can give me some excuse, say you weren't making out with someone else? Because you were, Finn! I saw you!" She was really crying now. Finn opened his mouth to reply, but Linda answered quicker.

"Damn straight, he was making out with me." She lightly touched him on the arm. "And it was nice. I bet we've had more chemistry then he could ever get making out with a midget like you." She sneered and then smirked. Finn's hands clenched into fists. If anything, Linda was only making things much worse then they already were.

"Shut up, Linda." Finn hissed, turning back to Rachel. He hoped she could see just how sorry he was. How much he needed to explain. "Please, Rachel, don't go. I can explain, I really can." Finn begged.

"There's nothing to explain." Rachel said through gritted teeth. "It's obvious now why you were so eager to abide by a long-distance relationship." Finn's eyes widened. Rachel thought this was something he had been doing for a while now? Never!

"No, Rachel, that's not it at all! C'mon, please—"

"I'm leaving now, Finn." Rachel said slowly, tears falling down her cheeks. "And I'm not coming back. Ever. We're done." She spun back on her heel and made her way out of the apartment. Stunned, Finn watched her leave. Had Rachel just broken up with him? She couldn't have; she promised in high school she never would! Finn didn't know how to react. He didn't know what to do in a situation like this.

"Bye, bitch." Linda called after her, grinning seductively at Finn. Finn ignored her and watched as Rachel disappeared. Suddenly, he thought that maybe if he ran after her, he could make things okay. He started to go, but Linda grabbed his arm, pulling him back inside.

"Don't waste your time." She hissed. "She's probably already gone. You two are finished. Don't follow her around like a lost puppy." Finn glanced back over his shoulder. Part of him knew Rachel was gone, too, but he didn't want to believe it. He didn't want to believe they were broken up. And as Linda pressed her lips to his again, he couldn't help but think, _What was I thinking? Why did I do that?_ Those questions were two questions in life that Finn Hudson would never find answers for.

-glee!-

Those two questions appeared later in life the moment he broke up with Rachel Berry after discovering that she had had his kid and kept him hidden from him. Hell yeah, he was pissed. But pissed enough to break up with her after swearing to her he wouldn't? No; he had done that once before. He couldn't do it again.

He received several text messages from Kurt saying that Rachel was an emotion wreck and how Finn had overreacted the night of the party. Finn knew he had; he was just too afraid to face Rachel so soon after breaking her heart.

The night of the party, Finn didn't get any sleep at all whatsoever. He couldn't stop thinking about Rachel; hell, he couldn't stop thinking about the fact that he had a _**kid**_. He wondered what he was like; from the pictures, he could tell that the kid had inherited Rachel's dark hair color and brown eyes. Otherwise, Finn guessed he looked like him.

And his name was Seth. He liked the name; Rachel had good taste. Of course, he could trust Rachel with that sort of thing. But he couldn't help but wonder if Seth had taken his last name or Rachel's. Finn guessed Rachel's as he had not been an active part of his life. He didn't even know Seth.

The next day, he decided to go apologize to Rachel for overreacting. He set his alarm for ten (which was early for Finn) and left the house by noon. At around 12:15, he was at Kurt's house. One of the first things he noticed was that Kurt's car wasn't there. Finn didn't think anything of it; just because Kurt was gone didn't mean Rachel was, too. After all, she was sick. If anything, she was probably resting.

He knocked on the door. Only seconds after, Kurt answered it. A look of disappointment crossed his face when he saw it was Finn. "Oh. It's just you." He murmured, walking away. Taking this as a cue to enter, he walked inside the house, suddenly confused. Santana and Sam were standing off in the hallway with worried expressions on their faces, and Kurt was running around the house like a madman.

"I'm sorry, am I missing something?" Finn asked, closing the door behind him. "Where's Rachel?"

"Didn't you hear?" Santana asked in a quiet voice.

"What do you mean?" Finn asked, heart racing. Kurt glanced up from his frantic searches, eyes wide and filled with distress.

"Rachel isn't here."

-glee!-

Even though Rachel knew you weren't supposed to have cell phones on during the flight, she felt the urge to tell Priscilla to make sure she was at the airport at around two to pick up her up. Glancing around to make sure there were no flight attendants around, Rachel flipped open her phone and turned it on.

"You're not supposed to have your cell phone on." The passenger sitting next to her said loudly. Rachel flashed her a glare, glancing back up for a flight attendant. Not seeing any, she dialed Priscilla's number. She answered on the third ring.

"What's up, Rachel?"

"I just wanted to tell you to be at the airport at around two to pick me up." Rachel whispered, glancing around for flight attendants.

"What? Why?"

"I can't talk now; I'm on the airplane back home."

"I'll be there."

"Thanks. Bye." Rachel hung up and leaned back in her seat, ignoring the glares she was getting from the arrogant person sitting next to her. She sniffled before breaking into another coughing fit. She wondered if Kurt had found her note; she wondered if Finn knew she was gone. She wondered if he even cared.

-glee!-

"What do you mean, she's gone?" Finn asked slowly.

"I went in her room this morning at around ten and she wasn't there. Neither was my car." Kurt explained, glancing around frantically. "I thought she had gone to see you. But it turns out she's just not here."

"Maybe…" Sam began.

"Shut up, Sam." Kurt hissed, rubbing his temples.

"She's probably missing because of you, Finn." Santana sneered. "She was really hung up over the break up; she sat outside that night crying for hours. And then she woke up the next morning and cried all day." Finn glanced at the floor guiltily.

"You really hurt her, Finn." Kurt agreed. "This is the worse I've ever seen her."

"Look, I didn't mean to. I just overreacted. Wouldn't you guys have done the same thing if you were put in my situation?"

"No." Sam scoffed. "If I found out Santana had a kid, let alone, _**my **_kid and didn't tell me, but I found out like you did, I would have been pissed. But I wouldn't have broken up with her; I'd never get to see my kid."

"Oh." Finn paused. "I never thought of that."

"Point is, Finn, this isn't the first time, but the _**fourth**_ time you've broken her heart. I'm amazed she keeps coming back to you." Kurt shook his head. "We're going out and finding her. And we're taking your car, Finn."

-glee!-

"You know what would help?" Sam asked. "If you all listened to my theory."

"Sam, _**shut up**_." Kurt groaned.

"It beats driving around Lima like idiots." Sam muttered. "And it actually makes sense."

"Santana, can you please get him to be quiet?" Kurt begged.

"Haters." Sam muttered, leaning back in his seat and wrapping his arm around Santana. She chuckled.

"Anyone know where Brittany's boyfriend lives? She moved in with him, and Brittany has recently become really close to Rachel. She might know where she is." Santana suggested.

"Once again, I reiterate—" Sam began.

"Fifth time you've done this, Sam." Kurt interrupted, glaring at him through the mirror.

"You're seriously keeping count?" Finn asked, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Yes." Kurt sighed. "She said something about Lakeview…."

"Oh, damn, that's an expensive neighborhood." Sam commented. "Her boyfriend must be _**loaded**_."

"He's only the assistant manager at Breadsticks." Kurt mumbled. "They live somewhere in Lakeview."

"That's helpful." Finn muttered, turning in the direction Lakeview was located.

"Their address was, like, 4828 or something." Santana muttered.

"Great." Finn said, entering the neighborhood. It was pretty fancy. They drove up in the driveway of the address Santana suggested and climbed out of the car. Finn knocked on the door, and thankfully, Brittany answered. She smiled.

"Hi!" She exclaimed.

"We're looking for Rachel." Kurt cut in. "Have you seen…?"

"Really quickly, Kurt, if she took your car, wouldn't it be parked here?" Sam interjected. Kurt was silent for a few minutes before cursing.

"Sorry, Brittany. We'll go now." Kurt mumbled.

"Wait! Rachel's missing?" Brittany asked.

"Yeah." Santana replied glumly.

"It's your fault." Brittany accused, pointing and glaring at Finn. "You made her sad by breaking up with her."

"I'm—"

"So what if she had a baby?" Brittany continued angrily. "You could have been closer to her. You guys could have been a family." Those words stung. Finn opened his mouth to say something back, but Kurt replied quicker.

"It's okay, Brit; we've already had this talk with him." Kurt reassured her. Brittany relaxed and smiled.

"Oh. Okay, then! I hope you find her." Brittany waved goodbye before stepping back into her house and closing the door.

"Can I please give you my idea?" Sam begged. "It's logical and makes much more sense then what we're doing now.

"Oh my goodness, Sam—" Kurt began again.

"No, Kurt, let him." Finn nodded his head to Sam.

"She could have just gone back to New York." Sam said simply. Finn felt a sick feeling in his chest; if this were the case, then he had lost her for good.

-glee!-

When Rachel grabbed her luggage, she took a seat in one of the chairs. She honestly couldn't stand anymore; she swore that another fever was coming on and her cough only made things more difficult. Her muscles and joints began to ache with such an intense pain. In the back of her mind, she knew this wasn't 'just a cold' anymore. But she didn't want to convince herself of that; she knew she would be fine. Or, at least, she _**hoped **_she would.

"Rachel!" Priscilla exclaimed. She had Seth in her arms and was waving dramatically for Rachel to come over to where she was. With a sigh, Rachel heaved herself out of her chair and made her way over to Priscilla. The closer she got, the more visible the smile on Seth's face became. Rachel grinned as she grabbed Seth out of Priscilla's arms.

"Mama came home." Seth whispered, burying himself in Rachel's embrace. Rachel laughed and placed a kiss on top of his head.

"Of course I did, baby; I'd never leave you." Rachel held him in her arms tightly. "We'll always be together. It's just you and me." Seth smiled and giggled as he gripped onto Rachel's shirt even tighter. Priscilla smiled and grabbed Rachel's luggage as they left the airport.

"Now you get to explain to me why you're back." Priscilla flashed Rachel a look of curiousity.

"I'll tell you when we get back to the apartment." Rachel whispered, turning her head away from Seth as she began coughing again. Priscilla came to a halt and raised an eyebrow in Rachel's direction.

"Are you okay?"

"Physically? I'm fine. Emotionally?" Rachel paused, inhaling sharply. "Not so much." Priscilla flashed her a sympathetic smile.

"Whatever it is, it'll be fine." She reassured her. Rachel smiled weakly at Priscilla before turning her attention back to Seth.

"Were you good for Priscilla, baby?" She asked in a soft voice. Seth nodded his head.

"I was good for Silla." Rachel grinned and kissed him on the head again.

"I'm glad to hear it, baby."

"Silla show me foo-ball. And bae-ball." Seth told her in an innocent voice. Priscilla grinned.

"That's right. You like baseball, don't you, Seth?"

"Uh-huh." Seth nodded his head. Rachel chuckled and carried him out Priscilla's car, raising an eyebrow in her direction when she saw his car seat sitting in the backseat of the car.

"So you stole my car seat?" Rachel asked, sniffling.

"You never gave me one and I couldn't leave Seth at home alone." Priscilla shrugged. "It's not like I stole your money; I'll give you the car seat back when we get back to your place." Rachel sighed and buckled Seth in, smiling before closing the door and climbing into her own seat. Priscilla started up the car, silent at first. Finally, she found the courage to ask Rachel the question that had been on her mind when Rachel first called from the airplane.

"It's about Finn, isn't in?" She said softly. Rachel closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath. She broke into another coughing fit before leaning back in her seat.

"It's more then Finn, Priscilla."

"You're pregnant." Priscilla gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Rachel glared at her.

"No, of course not!" Rachel exclaimed, crossing her arms.

"You sure?" Priscilla checked.

"Of course I'm sure!" Rachel glared at her before sighing. "No, it's more then Finn. It was a lot to cope with, so I just came back here."

"But Finn's the main problem." Priscilla guessed.

"I guess." Rachel shifted a bit uncomfortably. "Before you get a wrong impression of him, I just want to let you know, it wasn't Finn's fault. He isn't the problem; he never was."

"It's too late for that, Rachel." Priscilla said earnestly, her grip on the steering wheel loosening. "The first time you came to me about Finn and what he did to you, I knew he was the problem. And that's all he ever will be to me." Priscilla sighed. "I don't want to make you upset, Rachel, but that's just how I view things. He hurt you. And I thought maybe this summer, he'd make things up. Do things right." She shook her head. "I was wrong. Or maybe, in a way, I was right. Because he still is a problem."

"Priscilla—"

"I don't like him, Rachel." She broke in sternly. "Look at what he's done to your heart. He's taken it, and smashed it into pieces." They came to a stop. "You aren't Rachel anymore. He destroyed whatever piece of you that you had left!" She hit her hands against the steering wheel angrily. Rachel glanced at the floor, her eyes watering. "You can't keep going back." Priscilla sighed. "It's obviously proven to be too much."

"You're right." Rachel whispered. "I should've never gone." Priscilla squeezed her shoulder reassuringly before starting up the car again.

"You learn from your mistakes." She smiled. "Now, are you feeling okay?"

"No." Rachel replied honestly. "I think I have another fever."

-glee!-

"Of course! It makes perfect sense now!" Kurt exclaimed, pacing the house back and forth. Sam rolled his eyes.

"And you didn't even want to listen." He mumbled. Santana squeezed his hand, smiling softly.

"But why would Rachel leave and not say anything?" Finn asked. "It isn't like her, to bail on us."

"Sometimes when you're emotionally distraught, you do things you wouldn't normally do." Blaine spoke up, walking down the hallway with a piece of paper in his hands. As soon as he was in sight, he cast Finn a disapproving scowl. "Or, so says Rachel in this note she left us." Instantly, Kurt grabbed it from Blaine's hands and read it over. His eyes watered as he read it, letting Finn know that there was nothing good written down.

"What does it say?" Santana finally asked, voice quiet.

I won't even address you, because I'm sure you'll probably be the first to read anyways. Thank you so much, Kurt, for your kindness and generosity, and for opening up your home to me. It meant so much. I'm sorry to leave so abruptly like this, without saying goodbye. I couldn't deal with the drama anymore. Running away from your problems is never an answer, but staying and putting up with it isn't either.

_Sometimes when you're emotionally distraught, you do things you wouldn't normally do. I know firsthand what that's like. Keeping Finn out of Seth's life was a grave mistake and I wish I could tell him just how sorry I was, but there are no words (or songs) to express just how bad I feel. _

_It was wonderful while it lasted, but good things never last forever. Wow, this note is really deep. Who knew I could write like this? Well, at least I know what career I can use if I fail as a singer! My flight leaves at nine thirty. I borrowed your car (hope you don't mind). It'll be at the airport, waiting for you to come and pick it up._

_Please feel free to visit me anytime. I have nothing to hide anymore. I'll miss you! Have a great rest-of-the-summer!_

_Rachel Berry *_

Kurt glanced up from the note, his eyes filled with such a look of irritation Finn felt himself cringing away. Kurt glared at him, rage sparking in his eyes.

"It's your fault, Finn." Kurt hissed, storming away. "It's your fault!" He yelled louder. He stormed out of the house, the door slamming behind him. Finn flinched. Blaine flashed them apologetic smiles.

"I'll go calm him down." He said softly, following after Kurt. Finn sighed, hitting the wall next to him.

"Damn it!" Finn exclaimed. "It is my fault. It's my own damn fault she's gone."

"The only thing you can do is learn." Sam said quietly. "You learn from your mistakes."

-glee!-

"Rachel?" Priscilla whispered. "Seth is taking a nap."

"Mmmm…" Rachel groaned, pulling the blanket farther up.

"Rachel." Priscilla said a bit louder. She placed her hand to Rachel's forehead, pulling away quickly. "Holy shit, you developed another fever. Those things come faster then they go."

"Mmmm…" Rachel groaned again, closing her eyes tighter.

"Rachel, I think you have more then a cold." Priscilla said quietly.

"No." Rachel mumbled incoherently. Priscilla sighed.

"I think you have…"

"No." Rachel said a bit louder. Priscilla nodded her head slowly.

"Okay, then." Priscilla walked away, flinching as Rachel began coughing again. It was never-ending. Things were bad. She knew what she had, from former experience. And she knew Rachel knew, too. She was just too modest to admit it.

She had the flu.

**Wow, pretty dramatic chapter! I hope I'm keeping everything nice and drama-filled just the way it's supposed to be! It brings me great sadness to be nearing the end of our story so quickly. Only three more chapters and it's done! There is an idea I have for a sequel; I posted it on Facebook. I'm open to any ideas, so please, send me private messages or tell me on Facebook! And wow, over 245 reviews! I am very impressed! By the end of this story, I hope to have at least 270. What do you guys think? Does it sound possible? Thank you for sticking with this story for so long! Hope you enjoyed this update! Leave as many reviews as possible! The quicker I get to 252 reviews, the quicker I'll update! And like my Facebook page! On that page is the link to my website! I post sneak peeks there!**


	15. Chapter 13: You Only Disappear

**So I'm update a day early! Yay! This chapter is awesome, in my opinion, and Finn arrives in New York! Yay! He also meets Seth! Double yay! Seth is also such a cutie in this chapter. I won't say anything else; just make sure to read the important things below in the end author's note! This chapter is entitled 'You Only Disappear' by Tom McRae. **

"No, no, no!" Priscilla shrieked, desperately shaking Rachel. "Come on, Rachel, you're freaking me out! Wake fucking up!"

"Why is Mama sleeping?" Seth mumbled at Priscilla's side.

"She's really tired." Finally growing tired of her repeated attempts to wake Rachel up, she turned to Seth. "Why don't you go play in your room?" Seth nodded his head and raced off to his room. Exasperated, Priscilla tried once more to wake Rachel up. She groaned, turning over on the couch.

"Go away." She moaned, coughing. Priscilla breathed a sigh of relief.

"Rachel, you gotta let me take you to the doctor. This obviously isn't a cold anymore. I can't wake you up, and your returning fevers are scaring the shit out of me." She heard the labored breathing of Rachel sleeping again. "Great. Just fucking great. I can't even keep you awake!" Priscilla screamed. "I'm sure I didn't fall asleep this often when I had the flu!"

"Shut up." Rachel hissed, covering her ears, breaking into another coughing fit. "Just fucking shut up! I don't have the flu, I have a cold!" Priscilla's eyes widened and she took a few steps back. Rachel relaxed and fell back asleep. Priscilla's heart began racing as she thought of what to do. And she realized there was only one thing she could do; she took Rachel's cell phone from her jean pockets and desperately searched for the number of the person she needed to call.

-glee!-

It took quite a while to calm Kurt down. He kept yelling at Finn, telling him it was his entire fault Rachel was gone. That if he hadn't been such an ass and reacted like a normal person would, she would still be here.

However, once Blaine finally managed to convince Kurt that anyone could have reacted the way Finn had and that Rachel probably would have left early anyways. That maybe she left not just because of Finn, but because she then realized that leaving her one and a half year old child with a babysitter for five weeks was unwise.

Then Finn received the call. His phone began blasting 'Hello, I Love You'. He pulled it out of his pocket and glanced at the caller ID. He frowned; he didn't know this number. Then it hit him; the area code was the same one Rachel had. It was someone from New York.

"Hold on, guys." Finn spoke up, standing up. The room became quiet as Finn answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Okay, I'm assuming this is the asshole who broke Rachel's heart, but I don't give a shit about that right now." The person said into the phone. "You don't need to know who I am, so don't go asking. I might not want you here, but I'm guessing Rachel would. I haven't really had a chance to ask her, you know, with her being fucked up because of your stupidity and the fact that _**I can't keep her awake for more then two seconds**_. In other words, she's pretty sick. Really sick. If I were you, I'd stop whatever the hell you're doing and get your ass up here before it's too late." With that, the anonymous caller hung up. Finn slowly closed the phone.

"Who was that?" Blaine asked.

"Someone who knows Rachel." Finn's eyes widened. "She isn't doing too good."

"I told you it was your fault!" Kurt yelled.

"No, not like that." Finn shook his head, grabbing Kurt's car keys. "She's really sick. We gotta get to the airport. I'm going to New York."

-glee!-

"Rachel, you're burning up." Priscilla whispered, still stressed. "You feel like a fucking fire right now. Please, let me take you to the doctor."

"Shut up." Rachel hissed, frowning, her eyes still closed. "Make yourself useful and get Seth lunch." Priscilla sighed but obliged and made Seth a simple PB and J sandwich.

"Come on, Seth! Lunch time!" Priscilla cried. Seth came toddling out of his room, sitting at the table and munching on his neatly cut sandwich.

"Mama sleeping again." Seth mumbled, his mouth full.

"She'll wake up soon." Priscilla promised.

"Want her to play foo-ball wif me again." Seth said, his eyes growing round.

"She plays football with you?" Priscilla scoffed. Rachel absolutely hated football with a burning passion.

"She played wif Dada." Seth explained. "Silla, who is Dada?"

"He might be coming to see you." Priscilla smiled. _And fuck him if he skips out on this, the bastard._

"Okay." They were silent while Seth finished his lunch. When he finished, he darted right back to his room and continued messing around with his toys. Priscilla went back to check on Rachel, groaning as she found her asleep again.

"Rachel, I called for back up." Priscilla notified her. Rachel just barely moaned. Priscilla found herself growing much more worried as time progressed. Instead of getting better, she was only getting worse.

-glee!-

"You're kidding me." Kurt scoffed as they left the New York airport. "Rachel hasn't moved out of that shitty apartment she's been living in for as long as she's lived in New York?"

"I wouldn't know, Kurt." Finn sighed, growing exasperated as he hailed down a taxi. "I wasn't the last one to visit her here, remember?" Kurt flinched but became silent as they all boarded the yellow cab. Finn had brought Kurt, Blaine, Santana, and Sam with him for emotional support (if needed).

"So she's not doing pretty good." Sam clarified.

"I don't think we'd all be stuck in this taxi otherwise." Blaine grumbled.

"I'm starting to get claustrophobic." Santana complained. Finn rolled his eyes. He now regretted bringing so many people with him to New York. Finn gave the driver directions to Rachel's place before sitting back in silence.

"Your hand just touched my ass." Santana hissed, glaring at Blaine.

"Trust me, it wasn't intentional." Blaine reassured her, rolling his eyes. Moments later, Kurt jumped next to Finn. "Okay, that was." Blaine's cheeks turned red as well as Kurt's.

"Save the gay crap for when you guys get a room." Sam complained. The driver sighed and sped the car up a little bit more. It wasn't long before they reached their destination. Everyone quickly exited the cab. Finn sighed.

"So you're leaving me to pay?' He called out.

"Your girlfriend." Sam answered. Finn sighed and paid the driver before exiting the cab as well.

"Do you remember what room she had?" Sam asked.

"Something on the second floor…" Finn said, lost in thought. The last time he had been here was the summer before they broke up. It had been a while.

"We'll find her." Kurt insisted. They had no trouble finding Rachel's room, for as soon as Kurt was back in the hallway, he remembered her number. Finn tapped lightly on the door.

"That was such a gay knock." Santana whispered.

"Hey." Blaine and Kurt said in unison, scowling. The girl who answered the door was skinny but tall. Her hair was a pretty dirty blond color and her eyes were gray. She took one look at Finn before her gaze fell.

"I assume you're Finn." She greeted, opening the door to welcome them in. "I'm Priscilla. I'm the one who has been watching your kid for the past two and a half weeks." Finn felt very uneasy as he followed her inside. He was getting the vibe that Priscilla didn't like him very much.

"How's Rachel?" He asked.

"Screwed up because of your break up." Priscilla glared at him. Yep, she hated him. "But other then that, terrible. Her fever has only gotten worse and the Ibuprofen stopped working. She won't stay awake for more then two seconds, and when she is awake, she's coughing and complaining about aches in her muscles and joints."

"Oh, my." Kurt gasped.

"And you are…?" Priscilla asked, arching an eyebrow. "I only know Finn because of what an ass he is for messing up Rachel's life." Finn winced and sighed. Being here in New York would be _**wonderful**_, especially with Priscilla nabbing him about all his mistakes regarding Rachel.

"Kurt Hummel. This is Blaine, and those two are Santana and Sam."

"Oh, I've heard of Santana before." Priscilla flashed her a sarcastic grin. "Rachel often referred to you as Satan."

"I've been doing my best to keep from getting bitchy, but you're pushing me." Santana growled. Sam squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"What about the kid?" Blaine asked in a soft voice.

"The kid has a name. And it's Seth." Priscilla sighed. "Though I doubt any of you would know being as I'm the only person who ever knew about him, up until now."

"Where is he?" Kurt asked.

"In his room. He's playing." Priscilla smiled. "I'm actually trying to keep him away from Rachel, because if he catches what she has…well, that wouldn't be too good."

"No, it wouldn't." Sam agreed. Almost as if right on cue, Seth came darting out of his room, holding up one of his action figure toys and an unattached arm.

"Silla, it broke…" He broke off, glancing at the visitors. His eyes grew wide with surprise as if everything was too overwhelming.

"Oh, he's so cute!" Kurt exclaimed. Finn began to feel a bit light-headed. He wondered if he passed out if Sam or Blaine would catch him before he hit the floor. This was his kid, standing right in front of him. Seth's attention turned to Finn. He took a few steps closer to him.

"Tall." Seth announced, pointing at Finn.

"Huh? Oh, yeah." Finn gave him a weak half-grin.

"Little." Seth mumbled, pointing at himself. Finn smiled.

"Yeah. But you'll grow, too." Seth's face lit up with a bright smile before he burst into laughter, grabbing Finn by the legs of his jeans and leading him off to his room.

"What a cutie." Santana chuckled behind them.

"Definitely like Finn." Sam agreed.

"Hopefully he didn't inherit Finn's stupidity, too." Priscilla mumbled, watching them leave. Finn stared in amazement at Seth's room. It was so neat and organized. The color selection was awesome, and there was football stuff everywhere.

"Sit." Seth commanded. Feeling obliged to obey, Finn sat on the floor. Seth brought him a plethora of toys before explaining each one.

"Blocks." Seth said, picking up his favorite yellow building block.

"Awesome." Finn grinned. "Yellow's a cool color." Seth smiled shyly.

"Super." Seth continued, lifting up a superhero action figure.

"I had superhero toys, too." Finn told him.

"Foo-ball." Seth picked up his little football and handed it to Finn. He examined it carefully before turning back to Seth.

"I love football." Finn whispered. "I used to play it, too."

"Mama plays foo-ball wif me." Seth told him. Finn laughed.

"She does?"

"Uh-huh." Seth nodded his head. "She played with Dada." Finn smiled.

"I remember."

"You know Dada?" Seth asked, gathering his toys into a pile. Finn nodded his head. Seth was a pretty cool kid. He understood now what Rachel meant about him being too much like him. The only thing he seemed to inherit from Rachel was her dark hair.

Finn stood up and turned to walk out of the room before he felt Seth tugging at his jeans again.

"Careful, Seth." Finn smiled. "You'll pull my pants down." Seth giggled before outstretching his arms.

"Up." He commanded. Finn's eyebrows knit together in confusion. He knew Seth wanted to be picked up, but how exactly did you pick up a kid? Finn took an educated guess and lifted Seth into the air. Seth burst into laughter again as Finn carried him back into the living room.

"Look who's made a new friend." Priscilla smiled. "You like Finn, Seth?" Seth nodded.

"He play foo-ball." Seth stated proudly. "And he know Dada."

"Nice. A good combination to have." Sam chuckled.

"So, regarding our stay here…" Finn began.

-glee!-

They agreed that Finn should be the one to stay back at the apartment along with Priscilla while the rest of them checked into a hotel. Although Finn wasn't really too fond of Priscilla, he agreed to so he would be able to keep an eye on Rachel and get closer to Seth. He was a pretty cool kid, and pretty smart for his age, too.

Finn helped give him a bath (Priscilla's orders) and dressed him in his pajamas (how the hell were you supposed to dress a person that wasn't you?). He played with him a little bit afterwards before Seth finally announced that he was tired. Priscilla came into the room and wished Seth a good night before lifting him into his crib and turning out the lights. She and Finn quietly left the room before she faced him with a frown on her face.

"You put his pants on backwards, and his shirt on inside out." Priscilla accused him. Finn glared at her.

"Well, sorry. This is the first time I've ever had to dress someone other then myself." He explained. Priscilla rolled her eyes.

"You are completely hopeless." She muttered before stalking off to Rachel's bedroom. Since Rachel's apartment only had three rooms (all of them really small), Priscilla had to take Rachel's room. Finn took the extra one. Before going to bed, he took a shower and ate a little bit of pizza that Priscilla had ordered for the rest of them. The whole time they were there, Rachel hadn't said one word. In fact, the only thing she did that let them all know she was still alive was cough. It sounded terrible, and it was nonstop. Finn couldn't help but feel really bad for her.

"It really scares me that she sleeps so much." Priscilla whispered, meeting Finn in the living room as he started towards his bedroom. Finn stopped and stared at Rachel. She was curled up on the couch with three blankets loosely tossed over her small body. Her face was really pale and her eyes were still closed. Her breathing was labored and her hair loosely fell into her eyes.

"Yeah." Finn agreed.

"She's only been awake twice today, and you couldn't even consider it being awake." Priscilla shook her head. "I've never seen a person sleep so much."

"I hope she feels better." Finn said quietly. Priscilla nodded her head in agreement. "Well, goodnight."

"G'night." Finn called after her. He watched Rachel for a little while longer before leaning over her and placing a kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight, Rach. I love you. And I'm sorry." He whispered. He made his way to his room, flinching as Rachel began coughing yet again. Yet little did he know, Priscilla had been watching him. And suddenly, she didn't hate him so much anymore.

-glee!-

They were both awakened the next morning by Rachel's incessant coughing. According to Priscilla, she had actually woken up at around three in the morning and watched TV until about four fifteen. That was a good sign; it meant she was dead (a joke that Finn took all too seriously). But this morning, her coughing sounded really bad. It sounded much, much worse then it had the past few days Rachel had been sick.

Finn was reluctant to wake up (as it was only seven in the morning _**and **_it was Sunday), but was too concerned for Rachel's health. He shot out of bed and dragged himself across the floor, opening the door to his room. He stepped into to the living room and found Priscilla making her way over to Rachel's side as well. Finn stopped; he'd let Priscilla play nurse here.

He watched as she placed the back of her hand to Rachel's forehead, instantly recoiling in horror. She shook her head disbelievingly before tossing Finn her cell phone.

"Call your friends. Rachel's worse; we're taking her to the hospital."

**Wow. Drama, once again. How did you like the Finn and Seth bonding scenes? I thought they were absolutely adorable! Before you all ask questions, Rachel just has a very bad case of the flu. Nothing else. I am taking this from real life experiences with my own brother. He had exactly the same thing Rachel did, and we had to take him to the emergency room as well. So I know what I'm doing XD. I hope you all enjoyed! Guess what? My birthday is fast approaching! And you know what would be an awesome gift? 300 reviews! I am so close! I never even DREAMED of getting over 100, but now, I have 276! Wow! Thank you so much! By the way, to show my appreciation, the next chapter update will be a double update! Don't worry; it won't take forever, I promise. I already finished writing Chapter 15, a.k.a, the last chapter of this story. Now I just need to write Chapter 14! And a sequel has been decided! It will be entitled 'In the End it's Right', taking lyrics from 'Good Riddance/Time of Your Life' by Green Day. Oh! And I added two new stories! They are entitled 'The Only Hope for Me is You' and 'Bury Me in Black'. Please read and review them. And review this story, too, please! Reviews = love (and a great birthday present, too!).**


	16. Chapter 14: I'm With You

**And here we have it, Chapter 14! Wow, one chapter left, and it will be posted in less then two hours from now! I can't believe it! I can't believe how far this has come. A heads up, this chapter is sort of dramatic at the beginning, sweet at the end. I hope you all enjoy! I can't believe how far this story has come. Thank you all so much! I am eternally grateful for your reviews, your support, your obsession, and your overall love for my story! Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever thought my story would be so popular! Please keep an eye out for the sequel entitled 'In the End, It's Right' and promise me you'll read it! Enjoy Chapter 14! This chapter was written to 'I'm With You' by Avril Lavigne. **

As soon as Priscilla handed Finn the phone, he called Kurt. He answered the phone wondering why the hell Finn was calling so early, and Finn instantly filled him in on the latest news concerning Rachel. He was silent for a while before telling Finn that he and Blaine would be over shortly. Finn told him to also tell Santana and Sam. They hung up and Finn turned towards Priscilla as if awaiting her next command.

"Go wake Seth up and get him dressed." Priscilla ordered, propping Rachel up. For a brief moment, his former girlfriend opened her eyes, dazed before once again closing them, moaning. Finn felt his heart break for Rachel; he hated getting sick. The best part was, when he was in school, he got to stay home and play video games all day long. Rachel couldn't even stay awake.

"Don't you remember what happened last time I tried to get him dressed?" Finn asked. Priscilla turned around and glared at him.

"Finn, go get him dressed or so help me, I will slap you across the face." Finn sighed and headed off to Seth's room. "Just don't put on his clothes backward or inside out this time!" Priscilla called after him. Finn walked into his room and gently shook Seth awake. The little boy opened his eyes and yawned, standing up in his crib. He rubbed his eyes and stared at Finn.

"Tired." Seth announced. Finn smiled.

"You and me both, buddy." He lifted Seth out of the crib and placed him in the floor. "Priscilla told me to get you dressed. Where do you keep your clothes?"

"Finn, you retard, the same place you got his pajamas!" Priscilla yelled from the living room. Finn sighed.

"I don't think Priscilla likes me very much." He whispered.

"Hell yeah, I don't. Don't talk about me thinking I can't hear you! Now, hurry up and dress Seth! This is an emergency!" Priscilla yelled again. Finn picked out a simple T-shirt and shorts and dressed Seth.

"There you go, buddy." He said, smiling as he lifted him into the air. Seth smiled.

"Where we going?" He asked quietly.

"We got to take your mom to the doctor." Finn told him. "She's very sick."

"Oh." Seth was quiet for a few moments. "I like you." Finn smiled.

"I like you, too, Seth." Seth smiled and threw his arms around Finn's neck.

"Alright, enough with the cheesy bonding crap; save that for later." Priscilla said, rushing out of her room. "Hand Seth to me; you pick up Rachel." Finn obeyed and handed Seth over to Priscilla before picking up Rachel. She began coughing but didn't argue.

"Where the hell are your gay friends?" Priscilla asked. "Them and the quiet blond kid and his bitch of a girlfriend."

"Kurt, Blaine, Sam, and Santana are on their way." Finn corrected. "You know, when you insult me, you insult Rachel, too."

"Hm, not likely." Priscilla shook her head. "You see, she was pretty pissed after you broke up with her. So I'm sure she wouldn't care."

"She wasn't pissed." Finn argued. "She was depressed."

"And that's better how?" Priscilla shot back. "Just shut up and get a move on. The longer you wait here, the worse she gets. And the worse she gets, well, let's not even go there." In silence, Finn, Priscilla, and Seth left the apartment. Just as they left, they ran into Kurt, Blaine, Sam, and Santana.

"We were just coming up…" Kurt's voice trailed off as he caught sight of Rachel. "Oh, my." He whispered. Without another word, they all hurried to the car.

-glee!-

The car ride to the hospital was scary. Not only was Rachel hotter then ever (in fever sense), but she could hardly stay awake. Kurt sat in the front seat next to Priscilla, Sam sat in the back next to Finn and Rachel, and Santana and Blaine sat in the middle seats next to Seth in his little car seat. In the midst of everyone's panic, the little kid had managed to remain absolutely silent.

At one point, when Finn tried once again to wake Rachel up, he saw her eyes roll to the back of her head.

"Is there anyway you can hurry up?" Finn asked.

"Not without speeding, no." Priscilla hissed. "I'm going as fast as I can, too!"

"I just saw the whites of her eyes." Sam announced.

"You don't need to freak us out!" Kurt yelled. Seth covered his ears and closed his eyes. Santana rolled her eyes.

"Everyone, shut up!" She yelled. "You're all scaring Seth." Everyone grew quiet as they reached the hospital.

"Everyone else get out and take her to the emergency room; I'll meet you there." Priscilla said.

"Where are you going?" Finn asked, unbuckling and grabbing Rachel with the help of Sam.

"To park the car, dumb ass." Priscilla hissed. Santana and Blaine unbuckled Seth from his car seat and jumped out of the car. They rushed into the hospital and located the emergency room.

"Hi." One of the nurses greeted. "What seems to be the problem?"

"She's really sick." Finn explained breathlessly, from running, still holding Rachel. Kurt, who was carrying Seth, took him to a chair and sat down.

"Well, I need to know…"

"She has really high fevers, she won't wake up, and when she is awake, she's coughing and complaining about aches and pains in her muscles and joints, she hardly ever eats…I think that's it." Finn explained. The nurse nodded her head and looked Rachel over.

"Okay, well, because of her age and the severity of other cases here, I'm afraid…"

"If it helps her get seen sooner, we saw her eyes roll to the back of her head." Sam spoke up. "It was scary. And seriously, here fevers are higher then any fever I've ever felt." Finn nodded his head, suddenly feeling desperate.

"Please." He begged. "I love her so much, and her condition is scaring me." The nurse sighed.

"I'll do my best. After those two get seen, we'll take her." The nurse compromised. "What's her name?"

"Rachel Berry." Finn answered.

"We'll come get you, and move her to triage. There, we'll check her vitals and what not and diagnose her. Depending on what she has, we'll give her some medication." She paused. "And maybe hook her up to an IV." Finn nodded his head.

"Thank you." He breathed.

"Take a seat over there. We'll come get you shortly." The nurse left and greeted another family. Finn took a seat, just as he was told, and cradled Rachel in his lap. For a brief moment, her eyelids fluttered open. She glanced around at her surroundings before closing her eyes once more. Finn sighed.

"Is Mama okay?" Seth asked, sitting up on Kurt's lap.

"She will be." Sam answered. "Finn's gonna take her to see a doctor." A few minutes later, Priscilla came bursting through. She took a seat next to Finn and stared at Rachel worriedly.

"What did they say?" She asked. Quickly, Finn filled her in on everything the nurse had told him. Then they all waited in silence, silently praying that Rachel could be seen soon.

-glee!-

"Rachel has the flu. A very bad case of it, I might add." The doctor explained. "But not fatal. You were right to bring her here. She had a fever of one hundred fifteen degrees, and was extremely dehydrated. She lacks the nutrition she needed to fend off the illness. That explains why it got as bad as it did."

"Wow." Finn whispered. After only twenty-five minutes (which seemed like eternity, because of Priscilla's constant criticism), the doctor had had them move Rachel to triage. And now, the doctor was giving them his final diagnosis.

"She's awake now, but the reason for her extreme sleep habits was her body's own way to attempt to fend off the illness. It's strange, I know, and unheard of in this case, but I guess it was her own unique way." The doctor smiled. "We have prescribed her to some medication to help her feel better, and we have her hooked up to an IV now. She needs fluids in her body; those fevers can get really dehydrating."

"Thank you." Finn smiled, relieved.

"No problem. You can take her home at around eight tonight. I just want to check up on her and make sure her condition doesn't worsen." The doctor explained. "And if I may, I suggest taking her to an influenza vaccination this fall." Finn laughed.

"Of course." He agreed. With that, the doctor walked away. "So, who's gonna go see her first?"

"You." Kurt said softly, propping Seth up higher on his shoulder. "I think Finn deserves to go see Rachel.

"I second that." Sam agreed.

"I third it." Priscilla said softly. Finn glanced at her, shocked. "You deserve it, Finnegan." Finn smiled and walked into Rachel's room.

"Hey, there, Rach." He said softly. She turned to face him, her eyes lighting up.

"Finn! I thought I heard you. Though I wasn't sure whether or not I was hallucinating…fevers can do that to you…" Rachel smiled. Finn laughed, kneeling at her bedside.

"Nah, it's really me." He grinned.

"I didn't think you'd come back this time." She whispered.

"I'll always come back for you, Rachel." He whispered back. "I never left in the first place; I was just pissed. I overreacted, and you scared the shit out of me!" At this, Rachel burst into laughter. "I'm serious! I couldn't keep you awake, and your fevers were burning hot. I thought I lost you."

"Ha!" Rachel laughed. "I wouldn't give up _**that**_ easily. Do you really think I, Rachel Berry, would die because of a _**flu**_? No. Especially since I still had to fix things between you and me." Finn smiled.

"I'm glad."

"Besides, the doctor told me himself, my case of the flu was severe, but definitely not fatal. In fact, it was far from fatal." Rachel grinned. "So you were just overreacting." Finn laughed and ran his fingers through her hair.

"So we're good?"

"We were good to begin with." Rachel answered with a smile. He kissed her on the forehead.

"I got to meet Seth. He's a pretty cool kid." Finn grinned. "He told me you play football with him." He mused. Rachel blushed.

"Well, I learned how…when I had to join the football team…so I thought I'd put it to good use and entertain my son who, unfortunately, inherited his father's love for the sport." Rachel sighed. She started coughing again, but it didn't sound so bad this time.

"He's awesome." Finn smiled, running his fingers through her hair.

"I'm glad you were able to bond with him." Rachel smiled. "I'm sure he's very attached to you now."

"He's with Kurt now." Finn told her.

"If Kurt gets him talking about fashion and Vera Wang, I'm going to kick his ass." Rachel groaned. "It's bad enough that I have to listen to him rant about football. I don't need him obsessed with the latest fashion trends, too." Finn laughed.

"Can he sing?"

"He's only one." Rachel protested.

"If I remember correctly, I remember a certain someone being very vocal by the time she was eight months old." Finn teased her with a smile. She blushed and pushed him away jokingly.

"How long will you be here?" Rachel asked softly.

"As long as you need me to be, babe." The two continued to talk and flirt. Outside the room, Kurt and Blaine were entertaining Seth while Sam and Santana snuck off somewhere to make out. No one, not even Finn and Rachel, noticed Priscilla watching them. She realized that maybe her first judgment of Finn was a bit harsh, and smiled. Rachel loved him, and he loved her. She stepped away from the door and took a seat next to Kurt and Blaine.

-glee!-

While Kurt and Blaine took Seth to visit Rachel, Finn had to step out. He took a seat next to Priscilla. He couldn't hide his relief; Rachel was doing so much better. As soon as Finn sat down, Priscilla turned to face him. He sighed and readied himself for more criticism.

"At first, I hated you for what you did to Rachel. I thought you were probably the biggest asshole anyone could ever meet." She began. Finn rolled his eyes. "But now I see how much she loves you, and although I'm keeping my eye on you, I can tell you love her, too." Priscilla smiled at the surprised look on Finn's face; was Priscilla actually praising him? "You're great with Seth; you guys are already a family. So why prolong things? Make a move and propose already!"

"P-propose?" Finn stammered. "I-I don't even have a ring!"

"Then buy one, you moron!" Priscilla's grin widened. "Just make sure to tell Rachel to make me a bridesmaid at your wedding!"

"We're only twenty-two!" Finn protested.

"Yes, and you guys have a kid." Priscilla pointed out.

"Point taken." Finn muttered.

"If you marry her, you'll never have to worry about her leaving you." Priscilla paused. "Well, unless the marriage goes sour and things end in divorce." Finn rolled his eyes. "But, honestly, I don't think that'll happen. Watching you two just now was so adorable it was sickening. You're worse then Edward and Bella in 'Twilight'!"

"Wait, you were just watching us?" Finn asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I happened to be glancing in that direction, and I saw you two flirting." Priscilla defended herself.

"Whatever." He sighed. "Marriage is a big step, though, and Rachel and I have only just gotten back together."

"But you guys were together seven years before that." Priscilla pointed out. "You were high school sweethearts, you graduated, you stayed together, you broke up, she had a kid, you met again this fateful summer, and you got back together." Priscilla smiled. "That's practically a love story right there. The last step, the ending, is you two get married and living happily ever after."

"So now Rach and I live in a fairytale?" Finn scoffed.

"It'll be so romantic!" Priscilla insisted. "I'd propose sooner then later, though."

"I'll think about it." Finn told her, hoping that would shut her up. Kurt, Blaine, and Seth came out of the room at that moment.

"Rachel is such a good mom." Kurt said.

"Were you expecting her to be a bad mom?" Priscilla questioned.

"I honestly thought she wouldn't have the patience to raise a child all by herself." Blaine answered truthfully.

"You honestly don't know Rachel that well." Priscilla muttered.

"I actually don't. This summer is the first time I've actually had a real conversation with her." Blaine smiled. Kurt chuckled and nodded his head.

"It's true." He agreed.  
"Don't you think Finn should propose to Rachel?" Priscilla asked, her eyes sparkling again at the idea. Finn groaned and leaned back in his seat.

"Oh my God, that would be amazing!" Kurt exclaimed. "The colors of your wedding just came to me. It's so beautiful…oh, you have to let me be your planner!"

"I'm not even sure if I'm ready for that kind of thing." Finn admitted. Kurt flashed him a look that seemed to say, 'really?'.

"Puck, who refers to himself as 'the sex shark', is ready to tie the knot with his girlfriend, and you, Finnocence, can't work up the nerve to propose to your high school sweetheart?" Kurt scoffed.

"Look, it takes a lot of nerve for a guy to propose to his girl." Finn mumbled, shifting uncomfortably. "She could always so no, and guys get sensitive about that stuff." His face fell, and Kurt's eyes widened.

"Oh, Finn, I'm sorry…I forgot about Grace…"

"S'okay." Finn sighed.

"Grace?" Priscilla asked. "Who is Grace?" Quickly, Kurt explained the story of Grace and the engagement and the canceling of the engagement. She listened before turning back to Finn.

"Finn, I can honestly tell you that Rachel loves you." She paused. "She wouldn't say no to you. She wouldn't break up with you only weeks before the wedding. She probably wants this as much as you know you do."

"Yeah." He sighed. "I'll think about it, okay?"

"Sure." Kurt smiled. "Just don't take forever. I've already had at least three different visions regarding her dress."

-glee!-

They took Rachel home after picking up her medication and put Seth to bed. They talked and laughed for a while until Kurt finally announced that they were all catching a flight back to Ohio later the next morning.

"You're not leaving, too, are you?" She asked, her eyes widening as she stared at Finn. He chuckled and rubbed her leg.

"Of course not. I'm staying up here for a while."

"Oh, ew." Priscilla groaned, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "Go get a room, _**please**_."

"How dare you expose your son to such intimacy at such a young age!" Kurt scolded, propping Seth up on his shoulder. Seth looked utterly confused.

"What intimacy?" Rachel asked, rolling her eyes, sniffling. "He rubbed my leg."

"Yeah." Finn added in.

"You two are so in love, it's disgusting to watch." Blaine agreed.

"It's like 'Twilight', except Rachel actually smiles and Finn doesn't sparkle." Santana smirked. Priscilla chuckled and pretended to flash her a look of pure anger.

"How dare you! I am such a Twi-Heart!" She said mockingly.

"There's a name for people obsessed with gay vampires that glitter?" Santana asked. "What has our world become?"

"One filled with gay, glittering vampires." Sam said with a smile.

"Rob doesn't pull it off for me." Kurt said, shaking his head. "His jaw is so big, I swear he could eat someone's head."

"And Taylor is better how?" Blaine asked.

"He has abs." Kurt shuddered. "His abs are so…"

"Kurt, you are holding a young child, just to remind you." Rachel quickly jumped in. They all were laughing by the end of the day. Rachel thanked her friends right before they left for everything they did for her, and wished them a safe trip back to Lima. Priscilla left shortly afterwards, telling Finn to think about the conversation they had earlier, which left Rachel more curious then ever. Rachel put on ESPN to keep Seth quiet before bringing Finn into her bedroom and closing the door.

"How are you feeling?" He asked quietly.

"Better then earlier." She smiled. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Sure." He nodded his head. Rachel's cheeks flushed as she took a seat on her bed. Finn took a seat next to her instinctively.

"I…I don't think I want to live in New York anymore." She confessed.

"What? But, Rach, New York is your life. You have Broadway and Priscilla and…" Rachel pressed her finger to his lips, willing him to be quiet so she could explain her reasons.

"I feel so far away up here; I'm away from all my family and friends." She glanced at the floor, running her fingers down Finn's leg. "Everyone I know, except Priscilla, lives in Ohio."

"Sam lives in California and Santana lives in Miami." Finn pointed out.

"Why are you so willing to keep me so far away from you?" Rachel asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's not that, Rach, it's just…you've always dreamed of being a star on Broadway. You definitely have, uh, potential and…" Once again, Rachel pressed her finger to his lips, letting out a quick cough before she continued.

"Let's be honest with ourselves, Finn; I did one Broadway show, and although it was a success, that's all I'll ever do. I have a kid." She smiled. "The fact is, I'll always be a Lima loser, no matter how hard I try."

"Rachel…"

"But I'm okay with that now." Rachel cut in quickly. "In high school, I was completely repulsed at the idea of never making it out of Lima and making it big, but I've realized that the only place I want to be…is where the rest of my friends and family are."

"Rach, are you sure?" Finn asked softly.

"We're all Lima losers at heart, no matter how big of a star you become." Rachel grinned. "And I think it would be nice not to have to call you long-distance just to hear your voice. Because I know you would never move up here with me."

"You're right." He chuckled. He leaned in to press a kiss to her lips but she leaned away from him, blushing.

"I don't want to get you sick." She said softly. "Kiss me all you want when I'm better." She got to her feet and stepped outside to check on Seth.

"Oh, I will definitely take you up on that offer." He whispered, more to himself, but he knew Rachel could hear him because she began giggling after that. Finn sighed and leaned back in his bed, watching as Rachel picked up a sleeping Seth from the couch, turned off the TV, and quietly shuffled off to his room. He didn't need to think things through anymore; this was the girl he wanted to marry. This was the girl he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

**Aw! How sweet! Oh my gosh, I was freaking out at the end of this chapter! I can't believe the next one is the last one! I think I might cry! Just joking. Though this is very emotional for me. I hope you all enjoyed! Check back in about two hours for Chapter 15, also known as the last chapter of this story! Please, please, please review! This is the second to last time I will be asking you to do this for me. Oh, that just made me even more upset! Don't cry, don't cry…**


	17. Chapter 15: Rhythm of Love

**I can't believe it, I've finally finished! Not only is it a happy time for me, it's also sad. It seems like only days ago I started writing this story. And now, it had come to an end. I really hope you like it. Remember, keep an eye out for the sequel! It's called 'In the End, It's Right'. I can't believe it, but here is the last time I will ever say this for this story. This chapter is entitled 'Rhythm of Love' by the Plain White T's. Enjoy!**

Days before the wedding, they moved back to Lima. She could still remember the way he had proposed to her. It was nine the morning and Finn was already up and awake, which was very out of character for him. She was confused and when she began to talk, he had pressed his finger to her lips, willing for her to be quiet. Her heart began racing as he got down on one knee, fumbled around for something in his pocket, and finally, pulled out a ring case. He opened it to reveal the most beautiful engagement ring she had ever seen, and then he uttered those four words: will you marry me? Of course, Rachel thought it was some sort of joke and insisted that Finn get off his knee and be serious. But he remained kneeling on the floor, waiting expectantly for Rachel's answer. Her breath caught in her throat and she felt as though she would faint. But finally, she found the word she was looking for.

"Yes."

-glee!-

At the wedding, the same thing happened to Rachel. Everything was moving so fast. She was twenty-two yet she had managed to snag the best boyfriend (scratch that, _**fiancé**_) and have a son. And now she was walking down the aisle, her arm linked to Hiram's as the wedding music played. Her heart skipped a beat as she caught sight of Finn in his suit; he looked so damn cute. And she felt like a fairytale princess in her dress.

She didn't catch a word the priest said. The whole time, she was staring at Finn, mesmerized by how amazing he looked. And she still couldn't get over the fact that this wonderful man standing in front of her, despite how much drama she had put him through, was about to become her husband. That _**he**_ wanted to marry her.

When the priest asked if she was willing to take his hand in marriage, Rachel was still lost in thought. She was speechless and felt that saying those two simple words that would bind them together for the rest of their lives would cause her to pass out. Nothing seemed real at the moment. Yet, finally, she found her words.

"I do." She said softly. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her dads, Finn's mom, and Kurt crying. Thankfully, none of them were crying too hysterically.

"By the power bestowed in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife." He announced loudly. "You may kiss the bride." And the kiss Finn Hudson placed on Rachel's lips awakened every sense in her body, stimulated every nerve.

It was, by far, the best kiss they had ever shared.

_**xXFive Years LaterXx**_

"You sure…_oh_…you want to pay…_ah_…for little league…_mhm_…baseball?" Rachel asked, feeling Finn's hands crawl up her shirt. She inhaled sharply and closed her eyes.

"Rachel…you really need to learn…that there is a time for silence…" He murmured against her neck. "And a time for…talking…" His hands pulled her shirt over her head. She glanced around worriedly, occasionally moaning.

"Is Seth…_hah_…asleep?" She whispered.

"He's been asleep." Finn replied. "Besides, I locked the door."

"I just think…_oh_…that…_ah_…we need to discuss this." Rachel groaned and let her fingers curl into his hair as he found her pressure point. Her back arched and she let a moan of pleasure escape her lips. She pulled Finn's shirt over his head and threw it the floor. He grinned.

"There's always…tomorrow…" He whispered in her ear.

"Sure." Rachel smiled. Finn smiled back at her and crushed his lips to hers.

-glee!-

"Alright, everyone, take five." Finn sighed, walking away from the auditorium stage.

"Mr. Hudson?" His lead singer, Michele, asked, darting after him. She was petite redheaded Cheerio with a voice almost as amazing as Rachel's. Almost being the key word.

"Yes, Michele?" He asked tiredly. He and Rachel had gotten almost no sleep the night before, staying awake all night and 'having fun'.

"A word of advice, Mr. Hudson." Julia, a talented student who reminded Finn very much of Rachel, spoke up. "Don't engage in sexual interactions with your wife on school nights." The class burst into laughter and Finn glared at her.

"Julia, one more comment like that and I'll send you to Figgins." It was hard to believe he was still working; he was pretty old. Now that Mr. Schuester had left McKinley High to look after the children he and Emma had, Finn had taken his spot as director of glee club. And honestly, the kids he had ended up with weren't that bad.

"Did you and Mrs. Hudson…?" Michele asked quietly, one of her eyebrows arched.

"If that's what you wanted to ask me, I suggest you go take your seat."

"No!" Michele pouted. "I wanted to ask you if Mrs. Hudson and I could do some vocal runs. Now more then ever I need to make sure my voice is sounding the best it can. Regionals is in two weeks!"

"I'll ask her." Finn grumbled, waving her back to her seat. Michele frowned.

"Inevitably, she'll show up here at the end of practice, so _**I'll**_ ask her instead." Michele flipped her ponytail over her shoulders and marched back to her seat. Finn sighed and rubbed his temples. He wasn't in the mood to deal with his kids today; he was extremely tired and all he wanted to do was go home and spend time with Rachel.

"It's been five minutes, Mr. Hudson." Jackson, the football quarterback, announced. Finn sighed.

"'Kay. Why don't we run through that number one more time?"

"Again?" Brian, one of the school's goths, groaned. "This would have been the fourth time we've run through it today."

"Practice makes perfect, they say." Julia said, smoothing her skirt, a chipper smile on her face.

"Oh, just shut up, Julia." Beth, Quinn's daughter, hissed. "No one likes you, anyways." She added, smoothing out her Cheerios skirt.

"That's enough." Finn said sharply, glaring at Beth. "If you have nothing nice to say, Beth, don't say it at all."

"I'm not in kindergarten, Mr. Hudson." Beth complained, rolling her eyes. "You're just upset because my real mom and you could have never worked out and you had to settle for your wife."

Finn slammed his hands on his desk, glaring at her. "Enough, Beth! I'll see you in Principal Figgins' office." Beth's eyes widened in shock, but she obeyed and wordlessly walked out of the auditorium.

"Mr. Hudson, I understand the stress of regionals is getting to you, but don't you think that was a bit harsh…?" Michele asked softly.

"She picked a wrong day to mess with me, and bringing up Quinn like that was just _**wrong**_." Finn argued. "I _**love **_Rachel; she was never second best to me. She was always number one."

"Glad to hear it." Finn spun around to see Rachel standing at the entrance, a wide smile on her face. She walked up onstage and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. "You're supposed to meet Seth's teacher today. I'll take over." Rachel breathed. Finn shuddered.

"Rach, I'm working…" Finn whispered. Brian and Michele began giggling.

"Alright, what numbers are you guys working on?" Rachel spoke up.

"You may not be surprised, Mrs. Hudson, but I got the solo." Michele spoke up snidely. "I was wondering if you'd like to run through it with me. My voice needs to be at its best for regionals in two weeks." Rachel smiled.

"Of course." She agreed. She glanced back over at Finn, a coy smile playing onto her lips. "Go, Finn. You'll be late." Finn sighed but hustled out of the auditorium, stopping by the office to apologize to Beth and send her back to class.

-glee!-

"So what did she say about Seth?" Rachel asked in her normal chipper voice.

"That he's very smart and progressing well." Finn replied. "Obviously he inherited that from you."

"The one thing he did." Rachel muttered. "So he's fine?"

"For a six-year-old that's been in kindergarten for almost a full school year now? Yeah, he's fine, Rachel." Finn sighed. Rachel glanced at him sympathetically as he leaned back in the bed.

"Should I lock the door again?" Rachel asked quietly.

"No. If we do what we did last night, I'll end up with no sleep and be even worse with the kids tomorrow." Rachel giggled and lie down next to him, her eyes filled with delight.

"If I remember correctly, it was you who initiated everything last night." She whispered.

"Yeah, well, I should have saved it till the weekend." Finn turned over to his side. Rachel grinned and sat up, leaning over his ear.

"You know you want to," She whispered, bending down and kissing his neck. He groaned, trying his best to ignore the sensation pulsing through his body, but ultimately failing as he flipped back over, his lips meeting Rachel's as they kissed with a fiery passion.

"Why…are you…doing…this…?" Finn asked. "I'm…usually the one…who practically has to…_**beg**_…to be intimate with you."

"I don't know." Rachel whispered, a smile spreading across her face. "I guess I've just been…craving your attention." She continued in such a seductive voice it sent shivers down his spine.

"I love you." Finn groaned, and suddenly, he wasn't so tired anymore.

-glee!-

"Mommy, my game is Saturday." Seth whined, tugging at her shirt. "We need to get baseball pants and socks."

"Uh-huh." Rachel nodded inattentively. She and Finn had agreed that letting Seth play baseball at the local stadium was a nice creative outlet for their six-year-old son and would keep him nicely entertained. After practicing for a week and a half now outside with Finn and attending practice three times a week, the first game was approaching and Seth was talking about it nonstop. Although it annoyed Rachel to no end, she loved seeing the spark in his eyes whenever he talked about winning. It was the same spark Finn had when he talked about his football games.

"Mommy!" Seth cried, pouting. "You're not listening!"

"I am listening, baby." Rachel sighed, crouching down to his level. "Mommy has a lot on her mind right now."

"Will you come to my game?" Seth said softly.

"Oh, Seth, I don't know…"

"Daddy said he'd come." Seth frowned. "It's my first one, Mommy, and I want you to come a lot." Rachel sighed.

"I'll do my best, sweetie." Rachel promised. Seth smiled and nodded his head.

"And as for your baseball pants and socks and whatever else…" Rachel smiled wryly. "I'll take care of that tomorrow." Seth beamed and hugged Rachel tightly.

"You're the best mommy ever." He mumbled before darting off to his room. Rachel grinned. She glanced back down at her stomach and breathed out slowly, rubbing her temples.

"Hey, Rach." Finn's voice sounded from the entryway, causing her head to snap up. "Practice was great. I think those kids are ready." Finn continued in a voice just as cheery. He pecked her on the lips before pouring himself a glass of water. "What's up with you?"

"Your son has been bothering me about his baseball game Saturday." Rachel replied, leaning against the counter. Finn chuckled, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"You're going, right?"

"I have no choice." Rachel sighed. "Promise me that if I fall asleep that you'll carry me back to the car?"

"Promise." Finn agreed, pressing his lips to hers. Rachel smiled and placed her hand on the nape of his neck.

"Ew!" Seth exclaimed from behind them. Instantly, they pulled apart, Rachel bursting into laughter after catching the look of pure disgust on his face.

"Hi, Seth." Finn greeted, smiling, scooping him up in his arms.

"You kissed Mommy." Seth whispered, flashing Rachel a confused look. Rachel smiled and leaned back against the counter.

"Aren't daddies supposed to kiss mommies?" Finn asked, half-grinning. Rachel rolled her eyes and snorted. Seth frowned before nodding his head.

"Not in front of me." Seth mumbled as Finn set him back on the floor. Finn chuckled and ruffled his hair.

"I'll take you outside to practice your swings in a few minutes." Finn promised. Seth's eyes lit up.

"I'll go put my shoes on!" He cried, darting away. Rachel smiled at him and placed a quick kiss on his lips.

"Have fun." She smiled. Finn watched her walk away, a smile spreading across his face.

"You ready yet, Seth?"

-glee!-

"Come on, Seth, give it a hard swing!" Finn cheered. "Just like we practiced!" Rachel giggled and rested her head on Finn's shoulder. Seth glanced back at Finn and gave him a thumbs up as he entered the field.

"He looks so cute." Rachel murmured. "Did we bring a camera?"

"Rach, babe, we don't need a camera." Finn chuckled.

"But I want to take a picture of him." Rachel protested. Finn chuckled and kissed her on the forehead.

"You didn't even want to come."

"Of course I did!" Rachel cried, pulling away. "I would not miss his first baseball game, as boring and useless as I think sports are." Finn chuckled again.

"Good job, Seth!" Finn cried as Seth hit the ball. As soon as the ball hit the bat, he dropped it and ran.

"What if he falls?" Rachel panicked.

"He won't fall, Rachel. Just calm down." Finn reassured.

"Do not tell me to calm down, Finn Hudson." Rachel reprimanded. Finn laughed and placed a kiss on Rachel's lips.

"I love you, Rachel." He whispered.

"This is hardly the place to be kissing me like you just did." Rachel hissed. "Especially in front of our son." Finn chuckled and turned back to the field as Seth made his way to second.

"He's still going!" Finn exclaimed. "Those kids on the other team don't stand a chance; Seth's gonna make it all the way home." Rachel rolled her eyes and turned away, letting her hand float to her stomach.

"Remember the summer you found out about him?" She asked softly. "And how eventful that summer was?"

"How could I forget?" Finn whispered. "I was pissed when I found out you had been keeping him from me, but I realized why later. And then you got really sick and scared the shit out of me." Rachel laughed and Finn grabbed Rachel's hands, his gaze serious as he met Rachel's eyes. "Promise me you'll never keep things like that from me again, Rachel."

"I promise." Rachel whispered.

"You mean it?" Finn checked.

"Of course!" Rachel exclaimed. Finn smiled and turned back to the game. "Hey, look, Seth got a home run!" Rachel rolled her eyes but clapped her hands as she watched him jump up and down with excitement.

"He's got skill." Finn continued with a smile. "It'll show when he starts playing football, too." Finn beamed proudly. "He'll be quarterback, too." Rachel glanced at her stomach before pulling Finn closer to her.

"Finn?" She whispered.

"Yeah, Rach?" He asked, his attention still focused on the game.

"Remember how you told me earlier not to keep things from you?" Rachel whispered. She took a deep breath. "Well, I've got something to tell you…"

**This is the last author's note I will ever write for this story! Oh my goodness, this is getting emotional! Wow! First of all, I would like to thank all my readers for sticking with this story. I dedicate it to all of you devoted readers out there, but since there are too many names, this is all I can do. Wow. Thank you so much for reviewing as often as you did! Over 300 reviews for one story fifteen chapters long! I'm still beyond shock. I never expected to get over 50, to be honest! I will miss writing this story so much, but the end is not near! No, it's only just begun! I have two new stories that have nothing to do with this one entitled 'Bury Me in Black' and 'The Only Hope for Me is You'. I would appreciate it very much if you took the time and read and review those stories! Not only that, but regarding this story, there will be a sequel! I will post an update on this story announcing when I have posted the first chapter to the sequel so then you all know! It will be entitled 'In the End, It's Right'. I can't believe the end came so quickly. I will miss writing this for you all! Like my Facebook fanpage! Read my other stories! Watch out for the sequel! And lastly (the last time I will ever say this), review!**


	18. READER ALERT: SEQUEL HAS BEEN POSTED!

**ATTENTION ALL READERS, PAST OR PRESENT! THIS IS AN UPDATE SPECIFICALLY TELLING YOU THAT THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE SEQUEL TO THIS STORY HAS BEEN POSTED! PLEASE READ IT! IT IS ENTITLED 'IN THE END, IT'S RIGHT'! **

**Also, before I leave you to your peace, I would like to address something: if you have issues with something, don't say anything. Stop reading the story and keep it to yourself. Because all you're doing when you leave bad reviews is make me feel bad and wonder if I should stop writing. So, please: refrain from bad reviews. I got two for this story stating that Seth was much too smart for his age, though he was nearly two. I am young; I am not a mother. I have an active imagination, and sometimes, it can get carried away. But the majority of my readers agreed with me: it doesn't matter. These stories are called fanFICTIONS and are samples of writing based off of TV shows, books, movies, etc. They are fictional, meaning anything can happen. Thank you so much!**

**Anyways, please, please, PLEASE read the sequel! Once again, it's called 'In the End, It's Right'. You can find it by searching fanfiction, or by clicking my username. It is Finntastic17. Enjoy! And if you feel the need to, you can review this author's note…but I would much rather you review the sequel!**


	19. READER ALERT: PREQUEL HAS BEEN POSTED!

**ATTENTION ALL READERS! If you have been reading the sequel to this story, entitled 'In the End, It's Right', then you would know that I have been planning on writing a prequel to this story called 'Nine Months of Solitude', explaining Rachel's first pregnancy as she prepares for her role as a single mom. Please read it! I will post an alert on 'In the End, It' Right' as well. Once again, this story is entitled 'Nine Months of Solitude' and is a prequel to 'It Only Takes 5 Weeks to Fall in Love'. Please read it! XD!**


	20. RIP Cory Monteith

My fellow Gleeks.

Today truly is a saddening and heartbreaking day. There are no words I can think of to console the sadness that wells up in my heart as I listen to 'Don't Stop Believing' yet again. Cory Monteith was a wonderful man with a beautiful heart and soul. He changed a lot of our lives and taught us many things. For many of us, it was easy to identify with such a magnificent young man. He did such great things for everyone. And the way he loved Lea Michele, both as Finn Hudson on Glee and Cory Monteith in the real world, was remarkable. It goes to show that good guys do exist, for he truly was one of them.

I was bullied a lot throughout middle school and part of high school, as I have yet to finish (I graduate this year). It was depressing and a very hard time for me. I ended up curling up in this shell and remaining hidden from the world as I feared being hurt again. Then Glee came…I instantly fell in love with its characters, its lessons, and its stories. I identified the most with Rachel, but I fell in love with Finn:). I loved how he loved Rachel, and it made me feel loved in a way. That's how powerful Cory was as an actor…he made someone as insignificant as me feel special. He was my first celebrity crush and helped me set my standards for men. If they're not like Finn, then they're not worth it…lol. It seems unrealistic, yes, but at the same time…it's not.

Cory Monteith was my hero. I could not thank him more for what he's done for me. Though he will never truly know, he did make such a huge difference in my life, and for that, I am grateful. I hope he finds peace where he is now3 and my heart, of course, goes out to his family and Lea. God bless, and don't stop believing. Stay tuned this week for an update of some of my stories in honor and in memory and dedicated to Cory Monteith.

Rachel Berry on Glee once said that being a part of something special made you special. It was later repeated in season two by Finn Hudson when he and Rachel were fighting. He asked if she considered them to be a part of something special.

Cory, you are forever in the hearts of millions of fans. You have clarified the meaning of special for us, and you will always be a part of something special.

~Finntastic17

RIP Cory Monteith 7/14/13. You will be missed.


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